Normal life in Nibelheim
by LadyTeefStrife
Summary: High school fic... Well, sort of. I'ts NOT a normal story. Pairings: Cloti, Zerith, Yuffientine. Not ZackxTifa, the start can be misleading. Chapters checked by 6jrz422.
1. Beginnings

**A/N**: My first multi-chap! Checked by 6jrz422.

LadyTeefStrife: "Okay, this one is an AU in high school and multi-chapter."

Tifa: "Do you think you can risk it to make a multi-chapter?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Well, the worst that can happen is that the next update comes in a month, and that's not that bad..."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** I hope you'll finish it."

LadyTeefStrife: "Well, I hope that too."

Zack: "What is this one about?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Tsk, tsk, tsk... Zack, that's a secret!"

Koudelka: "..."

LadyTeefStrife: "The only thing I'll say for now it's... Start reading!"

* * *

**To:** Amaranthos

**Prompt:** High school fic *spoiler*

**Chapter 1 - Title**: Beginnings

"It's over." Tifa's tone was flat.

"What do you mean it's over?" Sephiroth glanced at Tifa from his book.

"I'm tired of this, I can't be with you anymore." Tifa was standing in front of him, trying to not look at his eyes.

"Why? We haven't had any problem in the year we've been together." Sephiroth closed his book and stood. "Tifa?" He tried to touch her but she pulled away. "What is it? Is this about-" Sephiroth was cut by the glare on Tifa's eyes. "I told you, it doesn't matter and I haven't told anyone about it. I love you, no matter what."

Tifa softened at Sephiroth's words. "I know... But you know I don't love you. We're only together because you asked me to give you an opportunity to 'gain my heart', but I'm tired, Sephiroth. I don't want to be with someone just to not be alone."

Sephiroth touched her arm and this time she didn't back away. "Tifa, do you think... At least we can still be friends?" Tifa looked in his eyes, he wasn't sad and he wasn't lying either. Tifa nodded. "Thanks." He smiled at her.

..

"He's coming!"

A bunch of girls were screaming at the entrance of the high school. A black motorcycle was coming from the end of the street and then come to a halt in front of the gate. A blond young man was riding it.

"Cloud!"

All of the girls were trying to gain the attention of the blond, but he just calmly got off of his bike and headed to the building.

..

"What are you going to do after class, Zack?" He turned around. A guy with black hair stood there.

"I have a date!" He gave Vincent his trademark smile.

"I don't think a 'date' with your sister counts." Vincent smirked.

"Well, at least it's a date with a girl! And I love my sister!" Zack just smiled wider.

"If someone else heard you, they'd think you were _in_ love with your sister." Vincent snickered and crossed his arms.

"Well, then it's a good thing it's just the two of us." Zack laughed and continued walking towards his class.

..

"Aerith!" A girl with black hair was running towards Aerith, waving her hand. "Have you heard? From now on all the groups are going to be in the same class!" She said while trying to catch her breath, hands on her knees.

"Well, that's what we get for having such small groups. There's only ten in our A group and I've heard there's only six in the C group. It's normal that they'd put us together, Yuffie."

..

"This is our last year here, Loz." A young man with long silver hair said.

"I know, Yazoo." The tall, muscular guy turned around. "Only three more months."

"At least once that happens this place will be quiet." A redheaded guy headed to Loz and Yazoo with a glare. "This is a library, you know?" He turned his eyes again to the book he was reading.

Loz huffed. "Shut up, Genesis."

..

"Reno." The girl with curly red hair stood in front of the redhead.

"Wazzup, yo?" Reno sat at his desk in class and stretched.

"I have a name, you know?" The girl huffed. "You know how much brother hates your 'yo's."

"Well, Cissnei, brother isn't here, yo."

..

"Are you sure about this, Angeal? They are still a bunch of teenagers-"

"Director Lazard, I'm the one who said it'll be better to put all the seventeen year olds together, so I'll be their teacher, tutor and mentor."

Lazard let out a long sigh. "This is like putting the gas and the fire together, you know?" He let out another sigh. "But I know I can trust you. At least it's only three months." He leaned forward on his desk. "I'm counting on you, Angeal."

..

And thus, the first day of the new S class group began.

* * *

**A/N**: I got some things to say: The school system and the festivities (like the white chocolate day) are from the Japanese culture.

Cloud, Tifa, Aerith, Zack, Yuffie, Vincent, Genesis and Reno are 17 years old (15 months to graduate). Loz, Yazoo, Cissnei and Sephy are 18 years old (3 months to graduate) and Angeal and Lazard are 20-30 years old (choose your liking.).

Tifa: "That was short..."

LadyTeefStrife: "Well, it's only the beginning."

Zack: "Who is my sister?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Next chap."

Tifa: "You promised 'no more Sephy'..."

LadyTeefStrife: "He's behaving..."

Cloud: "I'm the only one who wasn't talking to someone."

LadyTeefStrife: "But you have a bunch of fans."

Koudelka: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything**."

LadyTeefStrife: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

cloti is happiness!!


	2. Presentations

**A/N**: Chap 2! Checked by 6jrz422.

LadyTeefStrife: "Okay! Cloud, Tifa and the rest are going to meet each other in this chap!"

Zack: "So... Where are we?"

LadyTeefStrife: "... How about Nibelheim...? Yeah, Nibelheim!"

Cloud: "You just decided it?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Well, yeah! I need a place with a small population and with big houses, soo..."

Tifa: "Big houses? For what?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Secret!"

Koudelka: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Presentations.

..

Cloud was the last to enter the classroom. Everyone was chatting and waiting for the new teacher to arrive.

Nibelheim didn't have a lot of youth. The director finally decided to put all of them together into the same group. The pupils of first grade formed group 'S', while group 'M' was formed by the ones of the second. And this was the first time 'group S' was united.

"Cloud!" His fans started to create a human barrier around him. Cloud hated it. Those crazy fans were hiding him from the world, since they started to like him, he hasn't been able to meet anyone, not a girl from outside the 'Avalanche' -as the his fan club was called- and not even boys. The fans were really disturbing, he hasn't done anything special, they just liked him for his good looks, they were just happy to be able to see him, they never even try to talk to him -except to scream his name- and they never let anyone approach him.

"Spiky! Here!" A hand was waving above all of the girls' heads and Cloud tried to see the face of the one who was calling him. Cloud felt someone grab his arm and pull him away from his fans. _'Who?'_ His fans never ever touched him, much less 'grabbed' him, but then a mass of black spiky hair was in front of him. "Okay, girls! We all know how hot Cloud is." Cloud cursed and blushed. "But I need him right now, so please, go away!"

The girls started to disperse. Finally, Cloud was free again. He sighed in relief. "Thanks Zack."

Zack turned around and ruffled Cloud's hair. "It's nothing. I don't know how you do can endure those crazy girls, really." Zack laughed.

"So, we're going to be in the same group from now on?" Zack was Cloud's best friend. They met in the parking lot of the school one day and became 'school' friends.

"Hell, yes! And my sister is in this group too! I want you to meet her." Zack started to walk to the windows and paused in front of a group of people. After a few moments he called Cloud.

..

Cloud approached Zack and watched as the group dispersed, Zack was the only one with enough persuasive power to make the 'Avalanche' disperse, and it seems as if he just dispersed another 'fan club'.

Zack was talking to a black haired girl, her eyes were red, her uniform skirt was the short one, and her hair was long and simple, yet beautiful. Zack called Cloud again and he approached them.

"Cloud, this is Tifa, my beloved sister." Tifa punched Zack's arm playfully.

"Nice to meet you, Cloud. I'm Tifa Lockhart." Tifa stuck her hand out for him to shake.

"I'm Cloud Strife. It's nice to meet you too." Cloud smiled and shook her hand; it was nice to meet someone who wouldn't squeal upon seeing him.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Cloud's eyebrows rose questioningly at Tifa's question. "I mean… your fans look like they want to kill me..." Cloud turned his head. True, his fans were fuming. Cloud released her hand.

"Just a sec." Cloud walked towards his fans, once he was in front of them, he spoke. "Go away." The fans just stared at him. "This isn't even your class, go away." The fans looked at each other and then returned to their respective classrooms.

"Wow, you finally said something!" Zack patted Cloud in the back. "I'm always the one who has to set off the fans." Zack chuckled.

_'Then the group around his sister?'_ "Your sister has fans too?" Zack's eyes widened. "I mean the group you dispersed before."

"Oh, that!" Zack thought about it. "That was more of a 'hate-club'." Zack looked to Tifa with a sad expression. "She just broke up with Sephiroth." Cloud's eyes widened and turned his head towards her.

"She's Sephiroth's girlfriend!" Sephiroth was the most popular guy in the whole school. He's tall, handsome, strong, clever, a true gentleman... The dream of any girl. "Let me guess, she was the one who broke it off." Zack nodded.

"Every girl in Nibelheim is going to hate her for a while... Even some boys too." Cloud nodded in understanding. "But she did what was best for both of them, and Sephiroth accepted it. They're friends now, even if he's still in love with her. But Tifa never loved him, she was with him just because he loved her."

..

"Zack?" He turned to Cloud. "Your surname is Fair, right?"

"Yeah, something- Oh! It's about Tifa's surname, right?" Cloud nodded. "Well, we aren't blood relatives, her parents were good friends of mine, and when they died my parents adopted her. But I've always thought of her as my sister." Zack smiled warmly, it was a smile Cloud had never seen on his friend's face until now. "Your parents died too, right?"

"Yeah, I've been working as a delivery boy since I was fourteen."

Zack was surprised. "And you can pay the bills and for your studies with that job?"

"Hardly, I live alone, but my _uncle_-" Cloud almost spat at the word. "pays some of the bills."

"Tifa and I live alone too, my parents are living in Gongaga, my father got a job there-" Zack was cut off by the bell.

..

"I'm Angeal, the new tutor of this group and the general teacher." Angeal looked at everyone from his desk. "For the next three months I'll be your mentor and authority, your guide. You all will see for yourselves that I'm not a 'normal' teacher. My methods can be... unorthodox." Another look at the group and he could detect the 'rebel dogs', this was going to be funny. "To start, I want everyone to introduce themselves to the group, I'll start." He cleared his throat and leaned on his the surface of his desk.

"I'm Angeal Hewley, from Banora. Any questions?" No one moved. "Okay. " He sat down in his chair. "How about… Yuffie go next." Yuffie got up. She was wearing the male uniform. She walked to the front of the class and sat on the teacher's desk.

"Hiya! I'm Yuffie Kisaragi, from Wutai. Well, not really, I'm from here, but my parents were from Wutai, so I'm Wutain, but I was born here. And I'm a princess! And my best friend is Aerith! And-"

"-That's enough, Yuffie. Any questions?" Again no one moved. "You can sit now, Yuffie. Next let's have…"

..

"Aerith, please." Aerith got up and walked to the front of the class, her long skirt danced around her. She stood beside the teacher's desk.

"I'm Aerith Gast, I'm from Icicle, but I've been living here with my father and my aunt since my mother died." Yuffie waved at her. "... My best friend is Yuffie-"

"And we're the ones who take care of the flower garden, so you all better-"

"Yuffie, enough." Angeal turned his attention to Aerith again. "Is it true? You take care of the garden of the school?" Aerith nodded with a smile. "You do a great job then, I like to take care of plants, but when I arrived here the garden was already perfect."

"Thank you, Mr. Hewley." Aerith bowed her head.

"Angeal is okay, Aerith." He smiled. "Now, next one."

..

"I'm Reno, yo." Reno turned to return to his desk again.

"That's all?" Reno shrugged. "How about your surname?"

"I hate it." Reno sat back down in his chair.

"I didn't ask your opinion. Tell us your surname."

Reno sighed. "Rapsodos." Half the class gasped and the other half chuckled. "See? That's why I hate it, yo."

"Reno, stop with your 'yo's or I'll make you stop." Genesis shot a glare at his younger brother.

"Enough. Genesis, do you mind?" Angeal called out before anything rash happened. Genesis huffed and got up. He placed his hands on his desk and began talking about himself.

"I'm Genesis Rapsodos, from Banora. I hate this place, I have a stupid younger brother and an older sister, my hobby is reading and my favourite book is Loveless." Genesis sat back down.

"Loveless? That's interesting... Next."

..

"My name is Zack Fair, I'm from Gongaga, I have a lovely sister." Tifa blushed when Cloud looked at her and smirked. "My best friend is Cloud." Now it was Cloud's turn to blush. "My hobbies are sleeping, eating, bikes in general, playing videogames, breaking up fan groups, and spending time with my sister." Zack winked at Tifa and she smiled at him. "Any questions?"

"Can you tell us your sister's name?" Angeal was watching the display of reactions in both Cloud and Tifa's faces, it was amusing to see the smiles and blushes caused by Zack's words, until that question prompted Tifa's face to drain of all colour.

"Oh! It's Tifa!" Zack smiled even wider at her name and the group gasped.

"Tiffany!" Everyone turned their attention to Cloud upon his outburst. Tifa's eyes widened as well. "Zack's sister's name is Tiffany." His tone was normal again.

"What are you-" Zack was cut off by Cloud's glare and Tifa's white face.

"Next." Angeal didn't know what happened, but he was sure Tifa was Zack's sister.

..

"My name is Vincent Valentine Crescent, I am 17 years old, I was born here in Nibelheim, my father is Grimoire Valentine and my mother is Lucrecia Crescent, I'm a friend of Zack's, my hobby is reading and I don't have a favourite book but I like the hard ones." Vincent returned to his seat silently.

"That was... Professional. Tifa, do you mind?" Tifa nodded and got up.

She stood in front of the blackboard. The majority of the class was looking at her like she was the embodiment of evil. "I'm Tifa Lockhart, I was born here in Nibelheim and my hobby is playing the piano." She looked at Angeal. "Is that...?"

"Yes, that's enough, thank you." Tifa got back to her desk and let out a sigh of relief.

..

"Cloud, you're the last one."

Cloud got up and stood in front of Angeal's desk. "I'm Cloud Strife. I was born here but I moved to Midgar a while ago and I just returned this year. Motorbikes are my hobby."

Angeal nodded. "Any questions?"

"How does it feel to have a fan club, yo?"

"A pain in the ass." Cloud closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "But don't tell them that."

"Don't want to anger your fans, yo?" Reno smirked.

"On the contrary, 'Avalanche' is a group of masochists. They like me even more when I yell at them." Reno's eyes widened and the bell rang.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 2!

Zack: "Why did Cloud say that?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Well, if you are reading the story you can have a few ideas."

Tifa: "Yes, LadyTeefStrife is right, Zack. If they know you are my brother-"

Zack: "-What! No! I mean, why did Cloud say that the fans are a pain in the ass?"

Cloud: "If you want them they are all yours. I hate crazy fangirls."

Zack: "... No thank you. You are right, crazy fangirls are a pain in the ass."

LadyTeefStrife: "I think they are funny."

Cloud: "It's not funny when they make you f* with your best MALE friend."

Zack: "Ugg..." *shudder* "Bad images!"

LadyTeefStrife: "But fangirls and yaoi lovers aren't the same..."

Tifa: "Yes, LadyTeefStrife is right, Cloud. Fangirls are funny."

LadyTeefStrife: "Teef? Are you in repeat mode or something?"

Tifa: "..."

Koudelka: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LadyTeefStrife: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

cloti is happiness!


	3. News

**A/N**: Chap 3! Checked by 6jrz422.

Zack: "So... The secret you said in the summary is about Tifa being my sister?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Hell no!"

Cloud: "Then?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Keep reading!"

Tifa: "..."

Koudelka: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: News

..

"Why did you say that!" Zack's angry tone was pretty frightening.

"Zack, it's okay." Tifa tried to calm him, but it wasn't any use.

"Why should I lie about you being my sister!" Cloud just crossed his arms and sighed.

It was the break time, and they had somehow found a place where Cloud's fans wouldn't follow them. It was in a corner of the building, they were seated in the emergency stairs and they were alone.

"Zack, right now the whole school hates me. I can't let them hate you too!" Tifa was seated between the two guys trying to calm them down.

"I don't care if they want to hate me! They are just a bunch of bastards for hating you in the first place! You haven't done anything wrong!"

Tifa cradled his face in her hands, her forehead against his and locked eyes with him. "Zack. Thank you. But I don't want to see you hurt. It's enough with just me, don't you think?"

Zack froze the instant her hands touched his face. Her words and eyes always calmed him. He closed his eyes and sighed. But he wouldn't give up. "No." He opened his eyes and looked at her with determination. "If you are going to go through that, then I am too. I... I'm your brother. And families are supposed to stick together, right?" And then he smiled. "Besides, that way we can divide their hate between two-"

"-Three." Tifa turned around. "I don't think my fans will be very happy with me helping you when they find out the truth."

Tifa's eyes widened. "I- I'm so sorry! I-" Cloud shook his head.

"Don't worry." He smiled at Tifa's flustered face. "It's okay, really. As I said, they are a pain in the ass. I won't miss them." She smiled at that.

"Zack." They looked above them. "I think the burden is going to be split among five."

"Vincent? What are you-"

"I've been your friend since we were five." As if that answered the question, he kept talking. "And our teacher knows the truth too."

"Angeal?" Zack made room for Vincent. "What has he-"

"You two are living together, and alone, and as much as it pains you, Tifa and you aren't siblings, so Director Lazard is keeping a close eye on the both of you."

Tifa got up. "What! What's that supposed to mean!"

"That means if you two want to keep living in Nibelheim -at least until you both are eighteen- you'll need a guardian." Angeal was at the bottom of the stairs, his arms crossed over his chest. "I've already talked with Zack's parents about it and they agreed. So from now on, I'll live with you both-" Tifa and Zack's eyes widened.

"-WHAT!" Their yell made Cloud and Vincent wince.

"AND Cloud too." It was Cloud's turn to be in shock. "You are living alone just like them and Zack's house has enough room for you as well. So, I'll also be your guardian. You have two weeks to move in to their house."

Cloud's jaw could have hit the floor. "You... You are kidding, right?"

"I'm afraid not. You are still a boy too, you can't live alone yet." He then turned to Zack and Tifa. "I'll move in the next week."  
..

"What do you think about the new ones?" Yuffie sat in the garden across from Aerith.

"Do you mean the new one?" At Yuffie's grin she continued. "She's Sephiroth's ex. But I don't really know why he was with her, I mean, she's pretty, but Sephiroth has never shown any interest for pretty girls before."

"But why would someone fall out with Sephiroth? He's the coolest guy in the school!" Yuffie crossed her arms and sighed. "She must be really stupid."

"She is." Aerith seemed as if she wouldn't expand on the topic until Yuffie urged her to continue. "Haven't you seen her? She's been hanging out with Cloud all the time. If someone didn't hate her for the Sephiroth thing, then they will hate her for being around Cloud."  
..

"Wait." Sephiroth turned around.

"What is it, Genesis?" They were in the library, but since they were alone, they could speak freely.

"You know Tifa Lockhart, right?" Sephiroth and Genesis were friends since the latter started high school, but they never talked about personal matters. They both hated their families, and that was enough.

"Is that a trick question?" Sephiroth narrowed his eyes at Genesis.

"Of course not, my friend. I was just wondering if you know her parents names." Sephiroth's eyes widened a bit. "I see. Thanks for your answer." And with that, Genesis stood up and left, leaving behind a very confused Sephiroth.  
..

"What do you think, brother? Should we pay her a visit today?" Loz's voice was low.

"Not yet. Master doesn't seem sad, but we will make her pay for what she has done. Just... Not yet." Yazoo and Loz laughed. The bell rang.

* * *

**A/N**: Almost 40 characters... It's going to be quite lengthy... Anyway, THIS IS A CLOTI! Don't worry! And the real plot is just ahead...

Zack: "We are going to live together? Cool!"

LadyTeefStrife: "Yeah, even Angeal."

Tifa: "Everyone hates me... "

LadyTeefStrife: "Zack, Vincent, Cloud, Sephy, Angeal and *spoiler* don't.

Cloud: "So... The fans are going to leave me alone?"

LadyTeefStrife: "Looks like it."

Koudelka: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LadyTeefStrife: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

cloti is happiness!


	4. The first week

**A/N**: Chap 4! (My new avatar is one of my drawings; the idea is from a cloti image I saw. I drew it and added the sun and the moon) Checked by 6jrz422

LTS: "A short one!"

Zack: "We are living together now?"

LTS: "Yes, this one is placed on the first week of living all together."

Cloud: "Teef is going to be the one cleaning after us, right?"

Tifa: "I don't mind it Cloud, and LTS is helping me with this place."

LTS: "Well, it's my own dream world, better to keep it clean."

Zack: "Are you going to start?"

LTS: "You don't give me orders." *glare*

Kou: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: The first week.

..

The first week was awkward. Cloud didn't know how to act while living with his best friend, his best friend's sister and his own teacher, all in a two-story house. He really liked to live alone.

After the first day -thanks to the free days of the Golden Week holiday, they had plenty of spare time to adjust to their new lives. Everyone started to fall into his or her roles.

Cloud supported himself completely by working as a delivery boy -because with that and by living at Zack's, he didn't have to depend on his uncle- from six to nine in the evening of every weekday, so he was the one who picked up Tifa after her babysitting job.

Tifa was really incredible, she was the 'housewife'; the boys only made things worse when they tried to help. She also worked as a babysitter to pay for her studies. She refused Zack's parents' offer to support her -even though she was like their own daughter- so she kept working herself out every day.

Zack wasn't working; his parents had money to spoil him, even if he didn't want to be. And Angeal paid his own part with his income from teaching.

Life was really strange.

..

It was four in the afternoon on a Saturday and Tifa needed to go buy groceries. Two men and another that loved eating weren't helping her fridge stay stocked. Tifa straightened up from where she had been leaning to look into the empty fridge.

"Cloud?" No more than ten seconds later the boy was in the doorway of the kitchen waiting for her to continue. "I need to go buy some things, I'll be right back, okay?" Tifa asked as she grabbed her purse and put on her jacket.

"Mind if I go too?" Tifa's eyebrows rose as she studied Cloud. Why would a man want to go buy groceries? Sure, Zack liked to, but that was because it involved buying food and spending time with his sister, two of his favorite hobbies. "You would need help with the bags. Buying food for two isn't the same as buying it for four." And with that, he put on his own jacket and opened the door for her.

..

Zack returned back home at four thirty to only find Angeal locked in his room. Zack was on the high school basketball team, so most of his days were spent training. After his shower, his futile search for food, and his even more futile search for his beloved sister and best friend, he picked up his cell phone and called his other best friend.

_"Zack?"_ Zack's friend's monotone voice sounded on the other end of the line.

"Wazzup, Vince?" Zack knew how much Vincent hated that nickname, but after the first five thousand times of warnings and threats, Vincent learned that only Tifa could ever make Zack shut up or even listen.

_"I was wondering were you were right now."_

"What do you mean?" Zack leaned forward.

_"Your sister is shopping with Cloud."_

"That's not fair! I want to go too!" He threw on his jacket and darted out the door with his phone still in his hand. "Vince, is she okay?" For once, his tone was serious.

_"She's smiling."_ Was Vincent's response.

Zack grinned. "Good."

_"When are you going to tell everyone she's your sister?"_

Zack sighed and gazed at the sky. "I don't know man..." He looked at the floor and stopped walking. "I know she doesn't want anyone to know, but I can't keep up with this. You don't know how hard it is to not be able to embrace her or-"

_"-You sound like a man in love."_ Zack blushed and choked. _"So? Are you going to tell the truth then? People are starting to grow suspicious. And some think she's your girlfriend." _After a few coughs, Zack was finally able to answer.

"She's my sister! I love her as a sister-"

_"She's not. You aren't related by blood, and you asked her once."_

"Oh, c'mon! We were fourteen! I was young and stupid!"

_"Must I remind you that you are only seventeen now?"_ Zack kept silent. _"You love her?"_

Zack thought about it. He had always been her friend until her parents... Until her parents died and they became siblings. He had always loved her. Loved? Was it really love? "Vincent." That he was using his entire name meant he was being serious. "What is love?"

_"If you are asking me that-"_ Zack understood it then.

"-It means I'm not in love with her." Zack smiled as he finished Vincent's statement.

..

"Hey guys!" Zack's voice sounded from the other side of the street. He was waving at them. "Cloud! Tifa! Wait for me!" They looked at each other and Tifa shrugged.

When Zack finally made it across the street he took the bags from Tifa and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "Spiky! I hope you treated my sister-"

"-Sister?"

* * *

**A/N**: Muahahaha! I'm evil! (Not so much, chap 5 is right there!)

Tifa: "Who is it?"

Zack: "Someone has discovered our secret!"

Cloud: "Zack... You love Tifa?" *Cloud ALMOST receives a punch in the face.* (If it weren't for me...)

Zack: "I love Aerith! Right, LTS?"

LTS: "Yeah! This has Zerith. But..."

Zack: *nods his head* "... Wait! What's that 'but' mean?"

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

cloti is happiness! 7/2/2010


	5. Hate

**A/N**: Chap 5!

Zack: "Hate?"

LTS: "Keep reading."

Cloud: "Who hates?"

LTS: "Keep reading..."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Kou: "Thanks, Tifa."

* * *

**Title**: Hate.

..

"She's your sister! And... Cloud! What are you doing with that loser?"

"Yuffie? You know them?" Aerith looked between her friend and the three pairs of wide eyes.

"I know Zack. He's on the basketball team, I thought he was a nice guy."

"Oh, so, since my sister made the best decision in her life she's a loser and I'm not nice anymore?" Zack was being bitter, and that was not like Zack at all.

"How can you say that?" Now it was Aerith who was irritated. " 'The best choice of her life?' What? Using Sephiroth and then breaking up with him to make fun of him or something?"

"So it was better to stay with him even if she didn't love him?"

"She's even worse than the rumours, then." Aerith eyed Tifa. "I thought that at least you cared for him, but you just used him to be popular and then you sent him off. He's the nicest guy in the school and you used him. You are-"

"-Shut up already." Everyone turned at the dark tone of Cloud's voice. "You don't know shit about them! Who gave you the right to judge everyone? Who do you think you are, some sort of all-knowing god? You just heard some rumours and believed them without a second thought." Tifa put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head.

"I knew this was going to happen. It's no use Cloud. They'll believe what they want."

Yuffie crossed her arms. "And now you're using Cloud to defend you? Are you going to use all the men in the town or something?" Her tone was bitter too. Tifa just turned around and tugged at Zack and Cloud's arms.

"Let's go home." Cloud and Zack looked at each other. Someone was harshly badmouthing Tifa and they didn't like it, but they complied with her wishes. They silently planned to find that 'someone' and make him or her regret it. Zack put an arm around Tifa's shoulders. No one was going to hurt Tifa if he had any say in it. By the look in Cloud's eyes, Zack wasn't alone in his mission.

..

"What do you think? Is she a harpy or an angel?"

Yuffie crossed her arms again. "The rumours are rumours, but she didn't even try to deny it." She turned to Aerith. "I think she's just plain weird." They smiled.

* * *

**A/N**: Don't kill me yet! I know! It's short and Aerith and Yuffie are... BUT, in exchange, chap 6 is right here!

Zack: "My angel isn't so mean!"

LTD: "You are admitting she's mean?"

Zack: "..." *cough* "only in the game" *cough*

Cloud: "She was mean with Tifa." *Cloud kisses Tifa on the forehead*

Tifa: "It's okay, Cloud. Besides, she's my friend."

LTS: "... Friends like that... "

Kou: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

cloti is happiness! 07/02/2010


	6. Secrets

**A/N**: Chap 6!

LTS: "Here's the start of the plot!"

Zack: "Finally!"

Cloud: "Secrets?"

LTS: "Read... "

Tifa: "Someone wants something to drink?"

LTS: "Thanks!" *drinks*

Angeal: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: *spills her drink* "WTF!"

* * *

**Title**: Secrets

..

The way back home was a silent one. While the boys were thinking of ways to protect Tifa, -'hate' in Nibelheim meant 'danger'- she only looked at the darkening sky. Once they arrived home, they put away their groceries and Tifa locked herself in her room. Cloud looked at Zack.

"Something wrong?" It was strange for Tifa to be alone in her room.

Zack sighed. "I don't think she's upset." Zack sat on the couch. "Those two girls couldn't have upset my Tifa." Cloud sat at the other end of the couch and tossed the TV remote to Zack. "I'll talk to her later." After a few minutes of news, Zack changed the channel. "Oh, shit!" Zack tossed the remote onto the couch and ran up the stairs to Tifa's room, taking two at a time.

Cloud glanced from the stairs to the TV. The screen showed an advertisement of a red coloured medicine for coughs. Zack needed medicine?

The door of Angeal's room opened and he sat in the armchair. "Something wrong with Zack?" The doorbell sounded. "I'm not waiting for anyone." Cloud sighed and went to open the door.

"Is Tifa here?" A woman with a doctor's bag was at the door.

"Um... Yes?"

The woman eyed Cloud. "What are you doing here?"

"I live here." Cloud crossed his arms. This woman knew Tifa and where she lived. That wasn't a good sign. "And you are?"

The girl offered her hand. "I'm Shalua Rui. I'm a doctor, Zack called me." Zack called a doctor? "Is he here?" Cloud nodded. And directed her to Tifa's room. He knocked.

"Go to hell!" Cloud took a step back. That was Tifa's voice.

"It's okay, can you wait downstairs?" Shalua put her hand on the doorknob. Cloud stood there while Shalua entered the room. After a few seconds, the phone rang. Cloud decided to listen to Shalua's words and headed downstairs to answer the phone and wait.

_"Is Tifa there!"_ Cloud's eyes widened.

"Sephiroth?" The other line went silent for a few seconds.

_"Who are you? What are you doing in Tifa's house?"_ After a short pause Sephiroth guessed who he was speaking to. _"Cloud?" _

"Yeah, it's me. I'm living here with our 'guardian'..." Sephiroth's 'oh' told him that there was no need for an explanation. After all, Sephiroth was living with Director Lazard for the same reason. "Tifa's busy right now, you want something?"

_"Busy? The doctor is there?"_ Was he the only one who didn't know anything?

"Yeah, she's with Zack and Tifa in her room." Cloud was annoyed at being kept in the dark.

_"Then it's okay, I apologize for the trouble."_ And the line went dead.

"Who was it?" Angeal's voice sounded from Cloud's back. At least he wasn't the only one who didn't know what was happening.

..

After half an hour, Tifa's bedroom door finally opened. Shalua exited the house and Zack entered the kitchen.

After pondering about it Cloud decided to try to talk to Zack. He followed him and saw Zack trying to cook.

"Tifa must be really sick if she's letting you use the stove." Cloud joked as he tried to help Zack.

He chuckled. "Yeah, she's pretty tired, but she'll be hungry in a little bit. Believe it or not, I can cook, even if I'm not as good as she is at it." Zack turned to Cloud. "Sorry about this, I know it's pretty strange." Zack put noodles in a casserole. "Tifa... She's 'sick'. Once a month Shalua comes to see her, so this will be a recurring event. And about the door incident thing…" Cloud remembered the way Tifa had answered his knock at her bedroom door just a half hour ago. "Sorry, she's kind of... Aggressive when she's sick."

"Don't worry about it." Cloud leaned on the kitchen counter. "Do you know what's her sickness?"

Zack bowed his head. "It has no name." His next words were hissed. "There's only two in the world who have it."

"Two? Then you know the other?"

Zack shook his head. "No. We don't know much about her."

..

"Cloud, can you come with me?" Zack was heading up the stairs with a tray of food for Tifa. "I'm sure Tifa wants to beg you for forgiveness for the way she yelled at you earlier, even if it really isn't her fault." Cloud nodded.

They ascended the stairs and stood in front of her room. Zack knocked. "Tifa? Are you awake?"

"Come in." The voice was so weak that it made Cloud doubt whether the person on the other side of the door was the same strong and cheerful Tifa he had come to know.

"Cloud's here too." Tifa's gasp could be heard from the other side of the door. Zack and Cloud looked at each other and without turning his head Zack talked again. "You don't want to see him?"

"Oh! No, it's okay." Some ruffling sounds emitted from the room before they heard from Tifa again. "You can come in now." Zack opened the door and sat on Tifa's right on her queen-sized bed. Cloud stood in the doorway. Her room was nice. It wasn't pink or girly and most of the things were more practical than decorative, but what claimed Cloud's attention was the blood.

From Tifa's arm an IV was connected to a blood bag. "You need blood transfusions?" Cloud noticed how Tifa's eyes widened even though she hadn't been looking at him since he entered the room. She put a hand trying to hide the needle.

"Here." Zack put the tray in her lap. "Eat before it gets cold." Zack sat up and grabbed Cloud's arm "Sit down." Cloud and Zack sat on either side of Tifa while she stared at her soup.

"Zack? Why did you put fish in the soup?" Tifa kept staring at the bowl.

Zack shrugged. "Because Shalua said the fish was good for you."

"For someone who likes to eat so much, you sure can't cook." Tifa let out a sad laugh. "You... Idiot." A tear escaped from Tifa's eyes. Within a second of the first tear rolling down her cheek, Zack had pulled her into an embrace. "I'm sorry..." Tifa's sobs were heartbreaking. "I'm so sorry..." Cloud felt out of place, but then Zack's arm was pulling him into the embrace and Tifa was crying on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Cloud... I didn't mean it... I- I'm so sorry..." Cloud closed his eyes and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I know, don't worry. It was nothing Tifa."

* * *

**A/N**: ... End of chap 6.

Zack: "So, the secret is Tifa's sickness?"

LTS: "Sort of."

Tifa: "... This time I'm sick?"

LTS: "I didn't kill you or hurt you."

Cloud: "But she cried." *glare*

LTS: "I know how to glare too, you know?"

Shalua: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Kou: "First Angeal and now you? Then why am I here?"

LTS: "R&R! And thanks for reading."

cloti is happiness! 07/02/2010


	7. Sephiroth

**A/N**: Chap 7! Checked by 6jrz422

Yuffie: "Wow! This place is amazing!"

Vincent: "..."

Genesis: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife does not own anything.**"

Reno: "Why am I the bro of this guy!"

Cissnei: "Why am I his sister?"

LTS: "..."

* * *

**Title**: Sephiroth.

..

Once Tifa calmed down enough and they had eaten dinner -an ordered pizza- Cloud, Zack and Tifa were in her room again while Angeal was in his own bedroom.

"Sephiroth called." Tifa's head snapped up at Cloud's comment.

"What did he say?" Zack asked while laying to the right of Tifa, one arm around her shoulders.

Cloud was seated facing them on the bed to Tifa's left. "He asked where Tifa was."

Both siblings glanced at each other and nodded. Zack turned his head to Cloud. "You want to know why this is happening?" Cloud just looked at them. "You deserve to know. After all you're in this too, they won't leave you alone if you're with us."

Tifa picked up where her brother left off. "Sephiroth and Zack have been friends since they were fifteen, and Sephiroth has always been in love with me but I don't feel the same. I cared for him a lot, just like Zack, but I never loved him. But one day Sephiroth asked me to be his girlfriend. I tried to politely refuse but then he asked me to just give him a chance to 'gain my heart', so I let him. We started dating, but I was never able to see him as more than just a good friend. And then..."

"Cloud, do you ever wondered why Sephiroth is loved by everyone so much?" Zack interrupted his sister and Cloud shook his head. "The sons of the Director, Loz and Yazoo, are crazy. They took a liking to Sephiroth and have made him become the most popular guy in the school. They didn't like my sister taking up their idol's time as his girlfriend. So she was with someone who she didn't love and had to endure Loz and Yazoo's threats." Tifa put a hand on one of his and smiled weakly. "Breaking up with him was the best thing she could have done, but of course, those crazy guys won't leave her alone after this." Zack took and kissed Tifa's hand. "Sephiroth is our friend but he has no control over them, so he can't do a thing."

"Then, the ones spreading the rumours must be them, right?" Cloud guessed and Zack nodded. "Tifa, Sephiroth knows about your illness?"

Tifa nodded. "There are only a few people who know about it, Zack, Sephiroth, you, Zack's parents, and Vincent."

Zack answered the question that immediately surfaced from Tifa's statement. "Vince was present during one of her 'attacks'. He's a very good friend of mine." Zack's cell phone rang. He looked at it and responded. "Yeah?"

_"Zack, are you with your sister?"_ Sephiroth's voice came from the other side of the line.

"Yes, she's beside me." Zack eyed Cloud from the corner of his eye.

_"Can you put your phone in speaker mode?"_ Zack pressed a few buttons and then Sephiroth's voice sounded loud and clear. _"Thank you. Tifa? Are you okay?"_

Tifa leaned forward towards the phone "I'm fine, thanks for asking."

_"Glad to hear that. Shalua got there in time?"_

"A little late, but nothing serious, Tifa yelled at Cloud."

Sephiroth chuckled. _"He's living with you two now, right?"_

"I'm here, you know?" Cloud crossed his arms.

_"Hello, Cloud."_ He nodded in greeting.

Tifa leaned forward again. "Sephiroth, Cloud nodded." She smiled and turned to him. "He can't see you, you know?"

..

"Those two fanatics of yours are disturbing Tifa again." Zack was annoyed.

_"I know. But you know I can't control them, they do what they want. And I can't do anything about it because no one listens to me over them, I've already tried and everyone says that I'm just protecting Tifa because I love her."_

"So we don't have any allies?"

_"You know the three siblings?"_

"The Rapsodos?"

_"Yes, they are strange, but Genesis is a friend of mine, and I think he wants to know Tifa."_

"Me?"

_"Yes, he asked me your parents' names." _

Tifa's face turned white and Zack grabbed the phone.

"You bastard! You told him!"

_"Zack, calm down. I didn't tell anyone. I've been thinking that maybe he knows something of the 'illness'."_

* * *

**A/N**: Chap 7, End!

LTS: "The next chap will be Monday, so we'll know Genesis better. And yes, I'm skipping Sunday, what can I say? I can't make a chap for every single day! Besides, they were doing homework and watching TV, that's not much fun, right?

Cloud: "But you made the first three chaps for the same day."

LTS: "Because it was the fist day."

Zack: "Chap 4, 5 and 6 are of the same day too."

LTS: "Zack, shut up."

Sephiroth: "**Disclaimer: don't own.**"

Cloud/Zack/Tifa: "NO!" *they run away*

LTS: "Thanks." *makes a high-five with Sephy*

Sephiroth: "I like to scare them."

Kou: "R&R and thanks for reading."

cloti is happiness! 07/02/2010


	8. Genesis

**A/N**: Chap 8! Checked by 6jrz422

LTS: "Back to school!"

Tifa: "So we're going to meet Genesis?"

LTS: "We already know him."

Cloud: "Why did he ask for Tifa's parents' names?"

LTS: "Secret!"

Zack: "Why did Tifa react so adversely at the question?"

LTS: "Top secret!"

Vincent: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Gods, I think that is the longest sentence you have said here."

* * *

**Title**: Genesis

..

It was break time. Sephiroth had said Genesis would be in the library, so Tifa, Cloud and Zack went there.

The school environment was pretty tense. It was clear now that everyone -more or less- hated Tifa, and since everyone now knew that Zack was her brother, they hated him too. Cloud was safe for the moment, his fans left him after learning where he lived, but they still loved him too much to hate him.

Hate in Nibelheim meant one could wake up with his or her house on fire, or surrounded by an angry mob with the purpose of hurting every part of his or her body.

"Zack?" They turned to the right where the voice came from.

"Hey Vince."

"Tifa, Cloud." Vincent bowed towards them. "What are you three doing here?"

Tifa bowed in return. "Hi Vincent. We're looking for Genesis, have you seen him?"

"Genesis? He's always in the back room." After thanking him and bidding him farewell, they went to the back room Vincent had indicated.

They found Genesis perched on a bookshelf reading a book. Tifa spoke first.

"Sorry, Genesis?" He looked up from his book to Tifa and his eyes widened. Genesis jumped from where he was and landed in front of her and slowly took her hand and kissed it, causing Tifa to blush.

"It is a pleasure to finally meet you Tifa Lockhart. The presentation in class was-"

"Cut the shit, Rapsodos." Zack glared at him. "What do you know about her?"

"Zack Fair." Genesis let go of Tifa's hand and sat on the nearest table. "And Cloud Strife." Genesis offered them seats. Cloud and Zack pulled three chairs out and took their seats. "You asked what did I know about her, but the right question is; what do _you_ know about her?"

"I know everything about her. She's my sister, and we've been together for as long as I can remember."

The redheaded interrupted. "Sister? The two of you are just living together, and only because her parents 'died'."

Zack got up and grabbed a fistful of the front of Genesis' shirt. "What the hell do you know!" Cloud and Tifa tried to separate them. Once they had calmed down again -Tifa's hand intertwined with Zack's- Genesis continued.

"The other one with the 'illness'." Tifa turned her head to him with wide eyes. "I know her. I do not know where she is, but you must be related to her somehow, that 'illness' is unique."

"And why do you want to know the names of..." Tifa trailed off.

"Because I need more information to find her. Your parents had to have had the 'illness' too, so I will be able to find her with their medical history."

"What information are you searching for?"

"The name of their doctor."

"Cloud, can you wait outside?" Zack's tone was serious. Cloud nodded and stood but when he was about to go away Tifa caught his hand. He stared at her and she bowed her head.

"Thanks for being here, Cloud." She raised her head and smiled sadly at him. "I-... Someday I'll tell you all about this if you want to know. I promise." Cloud nodded and left.

..

The rest of the day was like any other except for the fact that Tifa and Zack were much quieter than usual. Cloud didn't know what Genesis told them, but he knew better than to ask. Tifa had promised she'd tell him when she's ready; he was going to get some answers eventually.

With that thought, Cloud would have drifted off to sleep, if it weren't for the pounding on his bedroom door. He stood and opened the door, only to be pushed inside. Zack closed the door and put a finger in front of his mouth, indicating silence.

Zack closed the gap between them, his eyes held a hint of panic.

"Zack?" Cloud was worried, something bad must have happened to have Zack like this.

"What are we going to do?" Zack sighed. "Tomorrow is Tifa's birthday and I haven't bought anything for her yet!" Cloud blinked. That was all? "And don't even think about trying to avoid it." Zack glared at Cloud. "You have to get her something too!"

* * *

**A/N**: Yes, my dears! Next one is Tifa's birthday! (May the 3rd. This story started just before the 'Golden Week'.)

Tifa: "I don't like Genesis..."

Zack: "I know him a little and he can be mysterious."

LTS: "No kidding! He hasn't said anything new."

Cloud: "Why not?"

LTS: "Because I can't tell you everything yet."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: "R&R!"

Tifa: "Thanks for reading."

CIH! 9/2/2010


	9. Tifa's Birthday

**A/N**: Chap 9! Checked by 6jrz422

LTS: *sings* "... Happy birthday to Tifa..."

Tifa: "It's not my birthday yet."

Cloud: *hides the present* "..."

Denzel: *sings* "... Happy birthday to my mom..."

Tifa: *hugs Denzel* "If you call me that, then It's my birthday, sweetie."

Cloud: *clears his throat* *attempts to sing* "... Happy birthday to my love..." *blush*

Tifa: *laughs* "Cloud, you don't need to sing to me." *hugs Cloud*

LTS: "Hey! I sang for you! I don't get a hug!"

Vincent: *hugs LTS* "There." *goes away*

LTS: "..."

Kou: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **Are you okay?"

LTS: "... This has been the weirdest moment of my life."

* * *

**Title**: Tifa's Birthday.

..

Tifa woke up at five thirty in the morning. Normally she got up at six, but today something had awakened her. She always prepared breakfast for Angeal and later for the boys before they woke up, and after the meal they went to school. Since today she had arisen earlier, she decided to make a big meal. So, like every other morning this week, she got up, showered, dressed and went to the kitchen to prepare Angeal's breakfast before he left to prepare for classes.

However, when she entered the kitchen Zack and Cloud were already there and covered in flour, the floor near the laundry room looked like a swimming pool, and the 'thing' in the frying pan on the stove was black. Cloud was doing something with some eggs and flour -probably more of the burned stuff in the pan- while Zack was trying to dry the floor, only succeeding in getting himself, Cloud and everything else even more wet.

When they heard Tifa's gasp, they turned their heads and started to talk at the same time.

"I'm sorry! Zack told me we had to-"

"It's Cloud's fault! He said we could-"

"-Do something for your birthday." They looked at each other and then at Tifa, who was still trying to understand why the kitchen looked like a hurricane had decided to visit them.

Zack sighed. "Tifa, I'm sorry. Cloud and I wanted to give you a surprise."

Tifa, still in a state of shock, responded. "Congratulations."

He shook his head. "No-No! Look, we were going to make you breakfast in bed, but the pancakes kind of... rebelled against us. So I was trying to fight them, and then-"

"We tried to do the laundry." Cloud bowed his head. "But I guess I did something wrong, because while we were trying to make breakfast, the washing machine started to make some awful noises."

Zack nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it was kind of scary. I thought it was either going to explode or transform into something. But then it started to flood the laundry room and-" Zack stopped when Tifa started to laugh. The boys stared at each other; they were expecting angry shouts, not laughing fits.

When Tifa regained her breath, she hugged them. "You two are so sweet..." She was between the two of them, one arm around Zack and the other around Cloud. She raised her head to look at them. "But next time you want to do something like this, buy the breakfast, okay?"

..

After cleaning the kitchen -Zack and Cloud followed Tifa's orders while Angeal watched from the door- they had a quick breakfast and went to school.

Since they had discovered the emergency stairs, they always sat there during break. Cloud's fans and the Tifa-haters didn't know of the place, so it was quite peaceful. Sometimes Vincent was there too, and the four of them talked and enjoyed their spare time in the stairs.

After classes, Zack and Cloud took Tifa on a date to the cinema to watch some movies. While they were watching the first one -a chick film- Cloud couldn't help but think that she deserved more moments like this, were she could do the things she wanted and be selfish. She was always taking care of her brother and him, even if they didn't ask her to do it. And even when they caused her even more trouble -the scene of the destroyed kitchen was still fresh in his mind- she just smiled.

When the second movie started, he couldn't help but think that she must be the most selfless person in the world, -even on her own birthday, a day that was supposed to mean she would be spoiled without end- she had picked a movie about races and bikes.

Zack looked at Cloud from Tifa's left. She was in the middle, but she wasn't paying attention to their exchanges of looks. They nodded.

No way was this day going to end without a good memory for her.

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 9. Next chap: Will Tifa have the happy memory?

Kou: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Cloud: "A bike movie?"

LTS: "Well, the first one was a romantic one, and I'm sure that Teef always picks a movie for the rest too, and since you two like motorbikes..."

Zack: "I enjoyed the first one too!"

LTS: "Good for you."

Vincent: "More hugs?"

LTS: "WTF!"

Vincent: "R&R."

Cloud: "...Thanks for reading."

CIH!


	10. Breaking point

**A/N**: Chap 10! Checked by 6jrz422

Yuffie: "What are you doing? Why am I not there? You really think the readers are going to like a fic were Aerith and I are two harpies and Vincent and I don't even know each other? How are you going to hook us together when we aren't even friends? And Zack and Aerith too, even the Cloti you adore. When are you going to start? Ten chaps already and not a single reference to love. And how about the 'Rapsodos' siblings? You only presented them. And where's Angeal all the time? You know, you should-"

LTS: "-**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**"

Everyone: "Finally!"

LTS: "Sorry guys, I swear this is the last time I call Yuffie to make the disclaimer."

* * *

**Title**: Breaking point.

..

Cloud, Tifa and Zack exited the cinema and went to buy some snacks, they took a shortcut through some alleys but before they reached the shop, someone stopped them. Zack was already in front of Tifa as a human shield while Cloud stayed at her side, ready to yank her by the arm and start to run if things got ugly.

"We've been searching for you, Lockhart." Yazoo approached one step closer to them, but Zack didn't budge.

"We wanted to visit you." Loz was on Yazoo's right.

"What do you two want?" Zack was serious.

"We only want to talk to the last Lockhart." Tifa glared at Yazoo. "You sure have your mother eyes." Tifa's eyes widened. They knew her mother? Zack looked at her over his shoulder and then turned back to the unwelcome guests. "You have made our master suffer. Now you must suffer too." Cloud and Zack readied themselves. "Calm down you two. We don't want anything to do with you both, yet." Loz laughed at Yazoo's words. "I'm sure you inherited your parents' tainted blood, so you must have those nice 'attacks'-"

"Shut up." Zack interrupted him. No way were they going to talk about this in the middle of the street.

"Ah, Zack. You try so hard to protect her, even if she's nothing to you." Yazoo snickered.

"After what she's done, you're still with her. Do you really think she won't harm you because you've been nice to her?"

"Shut up!" Zack gritted his teeth. Cloud was still there and those silver-haired bastards were going to blow up everything! And how the hell did they know so much about Tifa?

Yazoo took another step forward and put a finger on Zack's left cheek, he jerked away. "That scar, she gave it to you didn't she? Probably during one of her 'attacks', she got that from her father." Loz and Yazoo laughed at Tifa's face. She was on the verge of tears and shaking her head.

"No… Zack... I'm sorry... It was my fault..." She grabbed her head with both of her hands. "No… Dad... Mom... No…" Tifa broke. She was screaming and crying. "NO!... Zack! I..." Tifa sank to her knees and kept crying. Cloud tried to lift her up. "NO! Don't touch me!" Tifa tried to run away, but her legs weren't responding. "Don't hurt me!" Cloud was frozen.

She was terrified. He had never seen something like this. Zack took a step towards her and sat on his heels in front of her. She sat hugging her legs and her head on her knees, crying and muttering to herself. Loz and Yazoo left at her first scream, as if their mission was completed. Zack slowly put a hand on her head and talked to her.

"I'm not going to hurt you Tifa." She didn't answer. Cloud was still watching them, unable to move. "I'm here with you Tifa, Cloud's here too." Zack looked at him and Cloud nodded, he kneeled on the floor and tried to touch her but his hand stopped halfway extended at her next words.

"I'll kill you…" Cloud's eyes widened. "Zack… I... I'll kill you one day..." She was shaking.

"Tifa, you won't kill anyone. It's been eight years since we've been together and the only time you hurt me was the day of the scar." Tifa shook her head.

"No… If you stay with me... Maybe next time I'll kill you..." She turned her head a little and Cloud could see her red eyes shinning, they looked... Evil. "Are you afraid of me?" Cloud's throat felt dry. He wasn't afraid. He was terrified. His blood felt cold in his veins, his limbs were trembling. Tifa tuned her head again and he could feel something inside him breaking. Alarms were screaming in his head, as if he had to do something.

Tifa tried to get up while Zack tried to stop her. She turned around in one swift movement and punched Zack sending him flying into the wall, he let out a groan and tried to get up, but to no avail. "Tifa. I'm not leaving you!" Zack winced, something had sliced his left leg and he couldn't use it for the moment. "I don't care if you hurt me, beat me any time you want. I deserve it. But I won't let you go!"

Cloud's head was spinning. Tifa's eyes were still shining and her hair covered most of her face.

For a moment her eyes softened and then she turned around and started to walk. "Tifa, no!" Zack tried to get up, even if it wasn't a serious injury, it still hurt too much to walk. "Tifa!"

She was walking towards Mount Nibel and accelerating her pace. Cloud got up. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew he had to do something. The look in Tifa's eyes before she turned around told him she had given up, and the alarms in his head were still ringing. He didn't like it one bit.

Cloud tossed his phone to Zack and followed Tifa.

* * *

**A/N**: Cliff-hanger! Muahahaha! (Reviews means less time to wait! They do wonders for the inspiration!)

LTS: "This is all until next week. But the next chaps are finished, so the next update will be soon.

Tifa: "..."

Cloud: "..."

Zack: "... I'm going to die of blood loss?"

LTS: "Hell no! Why do you think Cloud tossed you his phone? So you can call an ambulance or something!"

Zack: "Oh!"

Yazoo: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "I saw an image of ACC where you scared me. I had to erase it... I've been afraid of that image ever since then..."

Loz: "R&R. And thanks for reading."

LTS: "You ** I HATE YOU! How could you hurt Tifa so bad!"

Cloud/Tifa: *stops LTS from killing Loz with her own hands* "Calm down."

LTS: "You ** I'm going to ** kill you some day, **!"

CIH! 09/02/2010


	11. Running

**A/N**: Chap 11!

Tifa: "You feel better now?"

LTS: "That ** cheater..."

Tifa: "You'll never forgive Loz?"

LTS: "No."

Cloud: "..."

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** I hope I don't EVER make LTS mad."

Cloud: "... Her wrath is frightening..."

LTS: "Cloud, you better take good care of Teef, you hear?"

..

LTS: "This chap was checked by **ClarityInObscurity** too."

* * *

**Title**: Running.

..

Cloud was running at full speed after Tifa.

He didn't know what had happened to her, but deep inside he knew she was running to escape. Maybe those silver-haired guys were right. He had only known her for a week; he didn't know anything about her past. Maybe what he had to do was let her do what she wanted. He wasn't anyone to stop her. She didn't even listen to Zack's pleas, so why would she listen to his? She was heading towards Mount Nibel. His feet pounded the earth, his breath ragged, and the first drops of the storm were falling, but he didn't stop.

She had welcomed him into her house, took care of him. She was his friend. And for some reason he couldn't let her go away.

At first he was running because of Zack. He had tried so hard to stop her that Cloud felt the need to try to do something, but then...

Her eyes. So sad, so broken that it made his heart ache and he had started to run without a second thought.

He was approaching her -merely ten feet remained between them- when suddenly, Tifa turned around. "Go away!" She punched him and the impact sent him to the ground. The left side of his forehead hurt, and then she was turning around and running again. He was frozen in place.

She was crying.

He had seen the tears streaming down her face when she had turned. If she really wanted to hurt him, why was she crying? He started to run. No way would he let her run away. He went towards the mountains searching for her. The rain had transformed the earth into mud, so her footprints were clear on the path.

..

He finally found her in a cave, a green glowing pond of water at the centre of it. Tifa was on the ground in front of the glowing pond, her back to him and again with her forehead on her knees.

"Why did you follow me?" Tifa sounded tired. Cloud approached her and kneeled on her right side facing her. Tifa's hair and thighs hid her face.

"Why did you run away?" Tifa chuckled despite herself.

"Answering a question with a question. You don't want to answer me?"

"I don't know what to answer."

Tifa turned her head a little, now he could see her right eye. It was shining with the same fire that had left him frozen the first time. The green glowing water in front of her made her skin look pale green. She locked eyes with him. "Are you afraid of me?"

Cloud was looking at her straight in the eye. "Yes."

Tifa's eyes closed and she sighed.

"Zack is afraid too." She turned her head to her thighs again. "He tries to not be. But I can see it." She raised her head and sat, her head bowed. "He has always tried to protect me, even from myself. But he always denies his fear." Her hair still covered her face. "I'm hurting him by being at his side." Tifa smiled sadly. "And now I hurt you." She turned her head to him and he could see the sadness in her otherwise empty eyes.

Her hand rose from the floor and approached him, slowly making his way towards his forehead. "You are bleeding." She touched his left eyebrow, there was a little cut. "I'm... I..." Tifa started to tremble again. "I'm so sorry!" She got up and tried to run again, but Cloud stopped her. He had grabbed her by her arm.

"Wait!" She stopped. "Tifa... Don't go." He was pleading.

She didn't turn but didn't try to run away either. "Why?... Why are you doing this? Why are you trying so hard to stop me? You're afraid of me. I scare you, too." She bowed her head. "I'm a monster..." She turned her head to him. "You don't know me."

"Then let me." Tifa's eyes widened. "Let me know you. I don't know why, but what I know is that I want to be at your side, even if I'm afraid. I want to know you."

Tifa raised her head slowly towards the ceiling of the cave. "I'll hurt you." Cloud chuckled.

"Maybe I too am a masochist."

Tifa laughed softly.

..

When Zack and Angeal finally found them, Cloud was at one side of the cave, his back leaning on the wall and Tifa was in his lap, They were embracing each other, their eyes closed, and they were sleeping.

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 11!

Tifa: "That cave was the one with the materia, right?"

LTS: "Yes."

Cloud: "And that was a reference to my fans, right?"

LTS: "True."

Zack: "And I've gotten there with my injured leg."

LTS: *nods* "Where's the problem?"

Angeal: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

CIH! 10/02/2010


	12. Cloud's scar

**A/N**: Chap 12! Checked by 6jrz422, as all the chapters :)

Tifa: "Cloud's scar?"

LTS: "Yup."

Cloud: "Which one?"

LTS: "In my fic you haven't fought Sephy, so you don't have all those scars."

Zack: "So, now my scar is made by Tifa and not by Angeal?"

LTS: "I'll explain it later."

Cloud: "And about mine?"

LTS: "In this chap."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

..

LTS: "This chap has been checked by **ClarityInObscurity** too."

* * *

**Title**: Cloud's scar.

..

It had been a month since Tifa's birthday. The environment in the school seemed calmer now, but Zack and Cloud were still in 'alert mode'.

Tifa hadn't said anything about her past yet, but Cloud was okay with it. They were trying to know each other better -including Zack- day-by-day; their past didn't matter, at least not now.

Cloud went to the kitchen to try to help Tifa with the breakfast as always.

When he opened the door, she stared at him, lowered her eyes to the floor and turned around. "Tifa?"

She shook her head. "Sorry."

He took a step towards her. "For what?" Her eyes fixed on his face, but not his eyes.

"I... I left you a scar..."

She was looking at his left eyebrow; there was a little line across it. "Yeah, It makes me look tough." He smirked, but she just bowed her head. "Look, Teef." She jumped at the nickname. "It's okay, really." He smiled at her. "Besides, thanks to this," He pointed at the scar, "I've learned you sure can pack a punch." He chuckled again. "I guess you can protect yourself. Even if your brother and I won't let you do it alone." They smiled.

Zack was listening their conversation from the other side of the door. Since the day of the cave, Tifa and Cloud were talking a lot more. He didn't like the idea of someone taking away his sister, but Cloud was a good guy, and it was him who had run after her when she broke.

..

_Godo Kisaragi stood in front of her. "We have to go back to Wutai." Yuffie's eyes widened._

_"What! No way!"_

_"You have your duties there. We are here only because I thought you needed to see the world, not to stay. At the end of this year, we'll return to Wutai." _

The conversation replayed in Yuffie's head once again. Her father was the 'King' of Wutai, and she, as his daughter, was the 'Princess'. That meant being encaged in a castle for the rest of her life until some rich guy would marry her and encage her in his three-story house. Yuffie didn't want that. Her dream was to travel around the world. And she was happy in Nibelheim. She had friends here. In Wutai the closest friend she would have was her personal maid, and by age, she could be Yuffie's great-grandmother.

..

Mr. Helwey had left the room for thirty minutes. Vincent could hear Zack, Cloud, and Tifa talking at the back of the classroom. They seemed to get along pretty well. Reno was talking to some girls just in front of them, Aerith was at his right and at her own right was Genesis. Vincent himself was behind him.

Vincent looked to his left, annoyingly-always-cheerful-hyper-Yuffie was there, but oddly, she wasn't talking or even cheerful. And then break started.

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 12.

LTS: "In the next one, the start of the Yuffientine!"

Kou: "Since when do you like the YuffiexVincent pairing?"

LTS: "... The truth is I don't mind them. If they are together or not, I don't care. But since I needed Yuffie with someone... And yes, it can be Reno too, but THAT is the pairing I don't like."

Zack: "Well, and the Zerith? When are you going to start with it?"

LTS: "Sorry Zack, not yet."

Tifa: "And the Cloti?"

LTS: "Well, we have some hints, but not yet."

Cloud: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

CIH! 10/02/2010


	13. Yuffie

**A/N**: Chap 13!

LTS: "This one starts with Yuffie."

Zack: "Oh, no..."

LTS: "Don't worry, she's moody."

Vincent: "..."

LTS: "Yes, you are going to be there too."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

..

LTS: "This chap has been checked by **ClarityInObscurity** too."

* * *

**Title**: Yuffie

..

"Yuffie?"

She turned at the sound of her name. "Aerith, something wrong?"

She smiled and sat at Yuffie's side. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Oh, don't worry about me." She waved a hand in dismissal. "It's just my father again."

Aerith put a hand on Yuffie's shoulder. "What is it this time?" Aerith's father never put any pressure on her, he always did whatever she wanted and Yuffie knew she couldn't tell her. She knew that Aerith would act like it was nothing, only a vacation to Wutai. Nevertheless, right now Yuffie didn't have the strength to dismiss it. She needed a little time -even if it was just a little- to mourn the loss of her dream.

Yuffie got up. "I'm going to the library." She turned to Aerith. "How about we go out after school?" Aerith nodded while smiling. She didn't know about her friend's dream, but she knew that this was more important than it seemed.

Oh, well. An afternoon of friendship and ice cream would bring back her cheerful friend.

..

The library had three rooms, one at the back and the other two at each side. Genesis usually occupied the one in the back -and usually- everyone left him alone. The room on the left usually was used by the pupils of the second grade -group M-, and the one in the right side was used by the ones in the first -group S- but that one was usually empty in favour of the main room.

Yuffie went to the normally empty room, sat on one of the desks and tried not to think, but it wasn't any use. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life locked up. She dreamt of mountains and seas, of grass and villages, of big cities and high skies.

"Why are you crying?" A low voice distracted her from her thoughts. She touched her cheeks and indeed, they were wet. She dried her face with the cuff of her uniform and turned around.

"That's none of your business, Vincent." He was a friend of the weird girl; besides, he never had a kind word to say to her. She put her face on top of her crossed arms.

"I know. But I'd like to hear the reason." Vincent sat in front of her.

"You want to laugh at me or something? Go on, laugh all you want."

"I just want to know what made you cry, that's all."

Yuffie's face was still hidden in her arms. "What for?"

"I saw you earlier in class." A long pause. "It must be something really important." When Yuffie didn't respond, he kept talking. "If you don't want-"

"I'm going back to Wutai." She took a deep breath. "You know... The 'princess' thing. My father wants me to go there and stay as the princess." Yuffie looked at Vincent from under her bangs. He had his hands crossed in front of his face, eyes closed. "As the princess I wouldn't be able to leave the country, not even the palace." She sank down on her chair. "I want to-" She stopped when she felt a tear run down her cheek. She covered her eyes and cried.

"My parents want me to become a scientist." Yuffie's eyes widened at the sound of Vincent freely offering her personal information. "They both are well-known scientists and everyone is expecting me to be like them." She removed her hands from her face and stared at him. "But I dream of nature and of having a wild life, not chemicals and test tubes." Yuffie realized she wasn't the only one who had that sort of problem. "What do you dream of?"

"Travelling." And she smiled.

..

That afternoon, she and Aerith went to the latter's house to watch some movies.

"You seem happier." Aerith was smiling as always.

"Yeah! I met someone in the library." She grinned.

"Oh..." Aerith elbowed her. "And that someone is..."

"Vincent Valentine." Green eyes widened. "I always thought he was a jerk, but today he taught me that everyone has their own problems." Aerith nodded.

"He's a friend of the weird girl. What do you think of that?"

"I think we all are weirdoes." And for the second time that day, Yuffie smiled.

* * *

**A/N**: Finally! End of chap 13! Hurray! (Five hours for this chap! This one has been a torture!)

LTS: "Gods, this chap was a pain in the ass!"

Zack: "Why is that?"

LTS: "It's so hard for me to write Yuffie and Vince..." *sigh* "After all I'm cloti."

Cloud: "So you don't have any problem with us?"

LTS: "No, I just write and the cloti pops out."

Tifa: "And how about Zack and Aerith?"

LTS: "Easier than Yuffientine, harder than Cloti."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: "R&R! And thanks for reading!

LTS: "And if someone wants to give some advice about **Yuffientine**, Zerith, or anything, please, don't feel shy... (PM's are a wonder) That YuffiexVincent pairing is going to be the death of me..."

Kou: "No flames, thanks. Cut her some slack, it's her first time with Yuffientine."

LTS: "Thanks Koudelka."

CIH! 10/02/2010


	14. Flowers

**A/N**: Chap 14! (And now you think I love flowers...)

Kou: "Again with the flowers?"

LTS: "I promise I don't like them that much..."

Kou: "Then?"

LTS: "The meanings are so inspirational... Damn, I think I could do a whole new collection of one-shots only with flowers!"

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

..

LTS: "This chap has been checked by **ClarityInObscurity** too."

* * *

**Title**: Flowers

..

Tifa bought a bouquet of purple Hyacinth. He was standing at her side looking at the flowers.

_Cloud knew something was wrong when he arrived home after his tune up on Fenrir. Upon seeing Cloud, Zack patted him on the back and dragged him to his room, that wasn't a good sign, and Tifa was acting strange too. They had been living together for a month, so they knew each other fairly well by now._

_"You have black clothes?" Zack's sudden question left him puzzled. "I mean dressing up clothes." And that was supposed to be an explanation? Zack sighed. "Today is the anniversary of the death of Tifa's mother." Oh... "And she wants to go pay her respects to the graveyard, but I don't want her to go alone. So, are you in?" Cloud thought about it._

_"And you?"_

_Zack turned his head. "I can't go." He turned his eyes towards Cloud again and scratched the back of his head. "Well, if you don't want to go I'll ask Vince or-"_

_"I haven't said I won't go." With that, Zack's smile returned._

_"Cool!" Zack turned to the door. "You just have to go there and watch out for Tifa. She all ready has the flowers." Just before closing the door, he said over his shoulder, "Thanks."_

So there he was, Tifa was seated on her heels in front of a grave. She was wearing a black knee length dress, the skirt of the dress was moving freely, the upper part of the dress was covered by a thin white jacket. She looked like some kind of fallen-angel. She put the flowers on the grave and stared at it. He looked the grave, but no name was on it. The only thing written on it was 'Lockhart'. He turned his eyes to Tifa again; she had her eyes closed.

He put his hand on her right shoulder. "Tifa?"

She got up and looked at him. "Zack hates my parents." Cloud's hand left her shoulder. "And there's no name on the grave because they didn't have names." She turned her head towards the grave again. "Today is the anniversary of my father's death. I don't know when my mother died, only when he did, so I put the dates together."

Cloud nodded. "Why those flowers?"

"The purple Hyacinth means sorrow, I'm sorry and please forgive me." Cloud's eyes narrowed. Zack hated her parents but Tifa was asking for forgiveness, why? Tifa raised her head towards the sky and her eyes widened. "No…" She grabbed Cloud's arm and tugged. "We have to go home!" She was in panic. Cloud once again didn't understand a thing, but he nodded and took her hand, leading the way.

When they arrived, she and Zack locked themselves in her room, Shalua came to visit her again, and Sephiroth called asking for Tifa. Cloud and Angeal were watching some TV show when Tifa's bedroom door finally opened and Shalua exited, she waved goodbye and left the house. While Angeal ordered some food for dinner, Zack went down again and called Cloud to go upstairs with him. They entered Tifa's room and sat on her bed like a month ago.

Tifa sat up and smiled a little at Cloud. "Hey." Her voice was weak.

"Hey." Cloud smiled at her and watched her eyes grow softer and warmer. "How are you feeling?" She smiled more fully.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired, but in a few minutes I'll be okay to start making dinner."

Before Cloud could protest, Zack answered. "In your dreams. Angeal is ordering some food."

"Zack, we can't spend all that gil on-"

"Tifa, I can afford it." Tifa sighed. When Zack was fixated on something it was almost impossible to do anything about it, and right now, Tifa was too tired to try.

Cloud watched her. She looked really tired. She was still wearing the black dress, and when she leaned forward to grab the covers of the bed he saw something on her back. His hand reached out of its own accord and touched her there. He felt Tifa go stiff and heard Zack's gasp.

On the beautiful back of the beautiful Tifa Lockhart were two big scars.

And plenty of little ones.

* * *

**A/N**: Cliff-hanger again! Muahahaha!

LTS: "Next chap will be important!"

Tifa: "Two scars?"

Cloud: "And a lot more?"

Zack: "Why do I hate her parents?"

Kou: "Why am I here?"

LTS: "I have an answer for all of you... Wait for the next chap!"

Angeal: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** The pizza will be the four cheese one, everyone like it?"

Zack: "Yeah, thanks Angeal. R&R!"

LTS: "Thanks for reading!"

CIH! 10/02/2010


	15. Tifa's scar

**A/N**: Chap 15!

LTS: "Here we are again!"

Tifa: "Are you going to explain the scars on my back?"

LTS: "..."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "That's right, folks! I don't own anything!"

Zack: "You're avoiding Tifa's question, right?"

LTS: "Soo... How about we start already?"

* * *

**Title**: Tifa's scar

..

Silence followed his discovery. Cloud's hand fell to his side, Tifa pulled the covers over her and Zack looked away.

"Tifa?" Cloud's brows furrowed. Her knuckles where white as she gripped the covers.

She let out a shuddering breath and Zack spoke to Cloud without looking at him. "I told you I hate her parents."

"They did that to her?" Cloud turned his eyes towards Tifa; she wasn't looking at him.

Tifa drew her legs to her chest and bowed her head. "Cloud... I... "

He closed his eyes. They had only known each other for a month; he had no right to ask about her past. "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked." He made to leave, but Tifa put a hand on his arm and stopped him.

"It's… " She spared a glance at his eyes. "It's okay."

He sat again and he took her hand in reassurance. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, Teef."

She shook her head. "I want to." She raised her head and smiled weakly at him. "You said you wanted to know me." He nodded and she took a deep breath while Zack continued looking away. "My father... He turned a little aggressive after my mother died-" She was interrupted by Zack's humourless chuckle.

"A little?" He finally looked at Cloud. "He locked her in a room after her mother died, he told her every day it was her fault her mother was dead and 'punished' her." His voice was filled with anger. "Those scars are his legacy." Tifa took Zack's left hand with her right one and squeezed.

Cloud didn't know how to react. He felt Tifa's hand squeezing his too. She was smiling. How could she be smiling? "It's okay Cloud, it's been a long time since then." That didn't make it any better; she had to have been just a kid at the time. Cloud intertwined his fingers with hers and brushed his thumb over her hand.

_'How could someone do that to a child? And even worse, his own daughter?' _

His mind was recalling the image of her back. There were a lot of small scars, like little cuts about five inches long, but there were also big ones. There were two of them, and they didn't look like cuts. "The scars in your shoulder blades..."

Zack turned to Tifa and she spoke. "The 'illness'."

She didn't say anything more, but he was okay with that. She had already told him more than anyone else would have.

..

The next day they went to talk with Genesis again. The last time they talked with him he didn't say anything new to Zack and Tifa, but knowing that someone knew so much left them dazed.

He knew the other one with the 'illness' and Zack and Cloud thought it would be good to hear some information about her.

"Welcome back, my friends." Genesis jumped down from the bookshelf and stood in front of them. "I suppose you are here to hear about 'her'." He sat at the same table as last time. "I told you, I do not know where she is."

After taking a seat in front of him, Zack spoke. "You know her name?"

The corner of Genesis's mouth turned upwards. "Names in exchange for names. There aren't any names on the grave of the Lockharts. Tifa and you, Zack, must be the only ones who know them."

Tifa spoke then, after the last night's events she was more at ease with her past. "No names then." But not enough to talk about it with Genesis. "Can you tell me something about her? You already know about my parents."

Genesis looked at the book in his hands. "I met her when I was a child, she was living in Modeoheim. My parents used to bring us there for vacation. She lived in the biggest house in the village. She was a year older than I am and she loved Loveless, we were close friends by the time the vacation ended. The next year I realized I loved her, and told her so, she told me the feeling was mutual." The smile that was appearing on Genesis features vanished. "The next year she wasn't there anymore. Her house was destroyed and no one in the village talked about it, the only proof that she existed was in my memories."

Tifa nodded sharply and spoke. "And how you knew about the 'illness'?"

He turned his eyes towards her. "I was present during one of her 'attacks', she told me then." Tifa nodded once again. "She told me a way that they can be prevented." She clenched her hands on her skirt. "And what happens when you don't do anything to stop them." Cloud looked at the siblings, they didn't seem surprised. If they knew a way to prevent them, why didn't they use it? Zack interrupted Cloud's thoughts.

"You said Tifa must be related to 'her'." He crossed his arms over his chest.

"They have the same 'illness' but she never 'escaped'." All the code-talking was getting into Cloud's nerves but Tifa wanted him there, even if he didn't understood a thing.

So he stayed.

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 15! I must say this now. 39-40 characters in this fic and not a single OC! Yay!

Zack: "How can we prevent the attacks?"

Genesis: "... The gift of the goddess..."

LTS: "WTF! Go away! You pink wearer!"

Genesis: "... Even if tomorrow is barren of promises..."

LTS: "Okay, make the disclaimer and go away."

Genesis: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife does not own anything.**"

LTS: "Why do you wear pink?"

Genesis: "... Nothing shall forestall my return..."

LTS: "Hey I was kidding, everyone knows you wear red... Even if it looks like pink."

Genesis: "To be your despair and pain, to sentence the readers, the reviewers, the story."

LTS: "GO AWAY YOU PINKY FREAK! AND IF YOU TOUCH ANY OF MY READERS OR REVIEWERS I'M GOING TO BE YOUR LIVING NIGHTMARE!

Genesis: *goes away* "I offer thee, this stupid moment..."

..

LTS: "I like Genesis, though. He's a nice guy."

Tifa: "... No comment. R&R."

Cloud: "... No comment. Thanks for reading."

CIH! 13/02/2010 Please, tell me if the characters are OOC!


	16. Sides

**A/N**: Chap 16!

Reno: "Why are we here, yo?"

Cissnei: "If we are siblings who are our parents?"

LTS: "..."

Reno: "You don't know it yet?"

LTS: "I already have all the characters, it's just I don't want to say it-."

Cissnei: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "-Not until I have a safe haven..."

* * *

**Title**: Sides

..

They exited the library and headed to their haven, only to be stopped along the way. They were in the back of the building and no one was there to see them, so they decided it was a good place to talk.

"I've heard the rumours, yo." Reno stood in front of them with his sister at his left side.

"What were you talking with our brother about?" Cissnei's tone lowered. "I don't want to be rude, but I don't want him to be hated."

Zack took a step forward. "Reno, what rumours did you hear?"

Reno sighed and leaned on the wall to their right. "Those crazy silver lovers are saying your sis used their 'master', that she's blackmailing him with something and some other nasty things." He eyed Tifa. "But I don't believe them, yo. My sis here-"

"I don't really know what to think about all this." They turned to Cissnei. "Sephiroth seems to be okay, and he's not angry with you at all, so I think this is revenge from the director's sons."

Zack crossed his arms. "So this means you two are with us?"

"Not quite. This is not about choosing sides, I just want to know the truth and protect my brothers, and right now you three have the truth but they have the security."

Reno placed his hands behind his head. "The only thing we can promise for now is we don't take part in harming you, after all you three are good guys."

"In less than two months those two will go to Midgar, Lazard's orders. Sephiroth will go there too. You three just have to wait until this school year is over and you'll be free again, I don't think anyone will still hate you after they're gone."

Tifa crossed her arms and took a step forward; something was nagging at her. "How do you know that? How do you know what they are going to do?"

Cissnei sat on one of the benches. "I'm in M group too. Our tutor asked us what we were going to do once we finish high school, so I just listened. Even Professor Gast was surprised to hear they were going to be together in Midgar too."

Tifa nodded and sat on the bench in front of Cissnei. "Genesis and I were talking about his girlfriend, you know something about it?"

Reno sat at Cissnei's side. "We don't know her very well, I only saw her when I was a kid and later she just vanished." He sank down more on the bench. "You know her?" Tifa shook her head. "Then why is he talking to you about her, yo?"

"Because he thinks I can help him find her."

"And you can?" They turned to the new voice.

* * *

**A/N**: Yes, it's short *shrug* but the next chap is just ahead!

Zack: "So, Reno and Cissnei are good?"

LTS: "Yup."

Tifa: "Who is 'the new voice'?"

LTS: "Next chap."

Cloud: "Where you get the idea of the haven-stairs?"

LTS: "Own experience."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: *sigh* "I loved that place..."

Cloud: "R&R."

Zack: "Thanks for reading!"

CIH! 15/02/2010


	17. New allies

**A/N**: Chap 17!

Zack: "Who are my parents?"

LTS: "You want to see the readers killing me or something?"

Zack: "Is that bad?"

LTS: "Let's just say I don't want flames about the pairing."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: New allies.

..

"That's why you were talking to Genesis? Because you can help him?" Aerith approached them.

Zack took a few steps and stood in front of her. "What do you want now?"

Yuffie stood to Aerith's right. "Loz and Yazoo are saying your sister is trying to use Genesis now. Seriously, this is getting old. Was she using Sephiroth? Well, she won't be the first one who has tried to do it, but Genesis?"

Aerith nodded. "We started suspecting those two were lying when we saw you trying to calm down her hate-group the first day in class, so Yuffie and I wanted to clear things but we only had their version, so we thought you two were the bad guys." Aerith turned to Tifa. "Sorry about the other day, but seeing you acting that way instead of trying to make us believe you was the last push we needed."

Yuffie nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! You were too nice to us to be the harpy those two say you are. Besides, you're friend of Vincent, right?" Zack and Tifa nodded, too shocked for the sudden change in the girls' behaviour to speak. "He's a good guy. I don't think he'd be friends with you if the rumours were true."

Aerith sat on another bench between the other two. "So all they said was a lie, right?" Cissnei nodded. "What now? We just wait until everyone stops hating Tifa?"

Everyone looked at one another and nodded.

Tifa got up. "Are you all sure about this? They are going to be against you all..."

Everyone nodded again.

..

"Tifa using me?" Genesis snorted. "Absurd."

"I know." Sephiroth sat in front of him. "But thanks to that, some people are starting to believe me again."

"They do not hate her anymore?"

Sephiroth shook his head. "It's not that, but they don't listen blindly anymore either."

* * *

**A/N**: Extra short, I know... But it's important.

Zack: "Finally! See? My angel is good!"

LTS: "Now, everyone has a clear idea of the future pairings right?"

Tifa: "Cloti, Zerith and Yuffientine, right?"

LTS: "Yeah, thanks Tifa. This is NOT Zati or whatever is called. Read chap 4, he loves her as a sister."

Cloud: "Why are you saying it again?"

LTS: "Just in case."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: "R&R!"

LTS: "Thanks for reading!"

CIH! 15/02/2010


	18. Allies turned friends

**A/N**: Chap 18!

LTS: "Aerith, do you mind?"

Aerith: *from Zack's arms* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Why you call me Aerith? In Spain I'm Aeris."

LTS: "I like Aerith better." *shrug*

Zack: "I like it in any way." *kisses Aerith*

LTS: "WUZALOOM!"

Everyone: "WTF!"

LTS: "Here's the chapter."

* * *

**Title**: Allies turned Friends

..

Two weeks had passed. Aerith and Yuffie were trying to make up for what they said to Tifa, while Reno and Cissnei were becoming friends with Zack. He was glad his sister had made new friends, but he was a little sad for not being with her. However, he had to admit that being with the guys was fun too.

They were all in Zack and Tifa's house. Angeal was locked in his room as always, the girls were in Tifa's room, and the boys were watching TV and playing videogames when the doorbell rang. Tifa went to open the door and then went to Angeal's room.

"Hey, Vince!" Zack offered a seat to him. "About time! I've been calling you all day!"

Vincent sat in the armchair. "You know my parents."

The door to Angeal's room opened. "Hey guys, you want something to eat? It's almost dinner time." Tifa asked from the doorframe.

They looked at one another and nodded at Tifa. "Do you need to get home?" Zack asked Reno.

"Nah, but I'll call, just in case." He got up. "Cissnei is upstairs, yo?" Tifa nodded.

"She already said she'd stay here today." Tifa smiled. "You can stay here too if you want. We have plenty of room."

..

After assigning rooms -Reno and Vincent in the guest rooms, Zack and Cloud in their own and the girls in Tifa's- they started making dinner. While the boys chopped the ingredients, the girls prepared the rice and the curry. Everything was going smoothly, talking and joking, until Yuffie spoke.

"So... Cloud, do you love Tifa?" A yelp and a curse were her answer.

Cloud had cut his finger and Tifa had burned hers. They put their injured hands under the tap.

Tifa turned her head to Yuffie and saw everyone staring at them. "Why the sudden question?" She was proud of how calm her voice was.

Yuffie cleared her throat and everyone turned back to his or her task. "Well, he defended you when we were all bitching at you." She shrugged.

Tifa sighed, wrapped her hand with a damp cloth and handed another to Cloud without looking at him. "He was defending Zack too." She smirked at Yuffie. "Does that mean he loves him?"

"Tifa..." Zack warned.

"See? Defending someone doesn't mean you love them." Tifa fidgeted with the cloth. "We are..." She bowed her head. "Good friends..." Her voice lowered to a whisper. "That's all..." With that, everyone continued making dinner and chatted like before, Yuffie dropped the question.

However, if Tifa had looked at Cloud's face, she would have seen the blush when their hands were under the water and later, the sadness caused by her words.

* * *

**A/N**: Yay! Cloti! X3 Hope you like it!

LTS: "Thanks for asking that! We needed some cloti!"

Yuffie: "You made me say it..." *shrug* "Whatever. Do I get any reward?"

LTS: "Here!" *Vincent pops out of nowhere and they go away*

Cloud: "You hurt Tifa." *glare*

LTS: "Glare all you want."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: "R&R! And thanks for reading!"

LTS: "The next chap has a new character!"

CIH! 15/02/2010


	19. Bonfire

**A/N**: Chap 19!

LTS: "..."

Tifa: "Something wrong?"

LTS: "..."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "..."

Zack: "Lady?"

LTS: "NEW CHARACTER!"

* * *

**Title**: Bonfire.

..

_**"Don't search me."**_

It was Friday night and Tifa had just exited from the house that she babysat at. She headed home. The trip was a long one. She was in Cosmo Canyon. Normally Zack took her there with his Hardy Daytona and Cloud picked her up with Fenrir, but he hadn't appeared today.

Tifa's cell phone rang. _"Sorry."_ She recognized the voice.

"Cloud?"

_"Yeah. Sorry, last minute delivery. I'll be there in half an hour. Can you wait?"_

She looked at her surroundings. "Okay. I'm in front of the bonfire, I'll wait here." She hung up and sat near the fire. It was spring, so it wasn't cold, but the heat of the fire was comforting. She hugged her legs and watched the fire; it was relaxing. After working all afternoon she was tired and her muscles were sore. The flame flickered and she closed her eyes.

..

_**"Don't look at me."**_

Tifa opened her eyes and gazed at the bonfire. She saw something behind it and tried to get a better glimpse. After the futile attempt, she got up -curiosity winning against her tired muscles- and walked around the flames. When she was on the other side, she saw a girl standing with her back turned to her. Her hair was blond and long, she was wearing a white dress with a long skirt that moved freely with the wind.

The girl turned her head towards Tifa slowly.

_**"Don't talk to me."**_

Tifa watched as the girl turned around. She was pretty. Tifa approached the girl. "Are you okay?" The girl turned around again. "I've never seen you around here. Are you lost?" The girl raised her head.

_**"I'm dead."**_

..

"Tifa?"

Tifa opened her eyes; she was in front of the fire, hugging her knees. "Cloud?" He was crouched between the fire and Tifa, looking at her.

"You were asleep." She blinked. _'Asleep? It was a dream?'_ He scratched the back of his head. "Sorry about the wait."

She shook her head. "No, don't worry. It's okay." She got up, they mounted Fenrir and headed home.

_**"I should be."**_

* * *

**A/N**: Muahahaha! Any guesses of who the girl is?

Cloud: "Tifa works in Cosmo Canyon?"

LTS: "Yup."

Zack: "My bike is the Hardy Daytona?"

LTS: "Don't you like it?"

Tifa: "I'm babysitting Nanaki?"

LTS: "Hell no!"

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Who is the girl?"

LTS: "Secret! R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 15/02/2010


	20. Girl talk: Vince and Zack

**A/N**: Chap 20!

LTS: "Girl talk!"

Zack: "What does that mean?"

Cloud: "Zack and Vincent talking about girls?"

LTS: "Jackpot!" *hands Cloud a Tifa plushy*

Tifa plushy: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "OMG! It talks!"

* * *

**Title**: Girl talk: Vince and Zack

..

"You know Yuffie?"

Vincent's eyebrows rose at Zack's question. "She's in our class and she's one of your sister's friends."

Zack turned his eyes towards the ceiling. They were waiting for Tifa and Cloud in the living room. They were late. Zack was lying on the couch while Vincent was seated on the armchair where Angeal normally sat. "I meant if you knew her personally."

Vincent crossed his arms. "Why are you asking me that?"

Zack kept gazing towards the ceiling as if it was the most interesting thing in the world. "When Aerith and her told us what they thought about us she mentioned you." Vincent grunted. "She said you're a good guy."

Vincent smiled a little and chuckled. "Is that right?"

Neither of them talked for a long time, but Zack still wanted to ask something. "And what do you think about the other one?" Vincent's eyebrows rose again.

"Aerith?" Zack nodded. "I haven't talked to her much, maybe you should ask your sister. They're becoming fast friends."

Zack nodded again. "Yeah."

A long pause and then Vincent spoke. "Ask me what you really want to ask."

Zack swung his legs off the couch and sat with his forearms on his knees. "Vincent, what do you think of Cloud?"

Vincent bowed his head. "He cares for Tifa." Zack nodded. "And I don't think he'll hurt her in any way." Zack sighed and sank down on the couch.

He let out a frustrated sigh and put his hands on his face. "I can so totally imagine the day when he asks me for her hand..."

"You sound like a protective father." Vincent chuckled. "And… Will it be a good day or a bad one?"

Zack smiled. "The best day of our lives."

"We're home!" Tifa's voice sounded from the front door.

* * *

**A/N**: Short, I know. But this is part one; part two is just ahead.

LTS: "Less than one month for the end of the grade!"

Cloud: "Summer vacations?"

LTS: "Yup."

Cloud: "Where?"

LTS: "Where do you think?"

Cloud: "All of us together?"

LTS: "... Enough information for today."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: "R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 15/02/2010


	21. Girl talk: Aerith and Yuffie

**A/N**: Chap 21!

Yuffie: "My turn! Finally! The last time around you cut me-"

LTS: "-Aerith, please, I don't like you and you don't like me, but at least control Yuffie."

Aerith: "Who says I don't like you?" *smile*

LTS: "Urgg... Cloud! Teef!" *runs away*

Yuffie: "She has left..."

Aerith: "Do you think she hates me?"

Yuffie: "Nah, you wouldn't be here if she hated you. I don't think she'll write about people she hates, right?"

Loz: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Aerith: "... Then why is Loz here?"

* * *

**Title**: Girl talk: Aerith and Yuffie

..

"So... " Aerith elbowed her friend. "Have you talked with Valentine again?"

Yuffie's blush could be seen from the other side of the street. She turned to Aerith. "What!" They were shopping when Aerith asked the damned question. "What do you mean with that? It's not like I like him or anything!"

Aerith smiled mischievously. "I didn't say anything about liking him."

Yuffie huffed and sat on the nearest bench. "You are evil." Aerith just shrugged and sat besides her friend. "He's really nice, you know?" She sighed. "But he's a bookworm!" She slumped forward, her hands on her face. "I don't think I have a chance with him, we are totally opposites! He's serious, intelligent, elegant-"

"-But opposites attract, right?"

Yuffie sank on the bench and raised her head. "And you?"

Aerith's eyes widened. "Me what?"

"What do you think of the guys?"

Aerith put a finger on her chin and pondered about it. "Well, Reno is funny."

"And spiky?"

Aerith made a face. "You aren't serious, are you? He's... Serious." Yuffie looked at her. "... And shy. I think I'll scare him if I tried to flirt with him."

"And Tifa's brother?"

"Zack?" Her friend nodded. "He's... Overprotective." She shook her head. "He's a nice guy, though. I don't know, he's funny and outgoing... but I don't think he's interested in a girlfriend right now."

Yuffie sat up straight. "You like him!"

Aerith shook her head. "He's a nice guy, that's all." She got up. "Okay, enough girl talk, let's keep shopping!"

* * *

**A/N**: Yeah, I know it's short.

LTS: "You know? When I was writing this, I was thinking of the AerithxGenesis pairing... "

Zack: "You traitor! I hate you LTS!"

LTS: *waves her hand in dismissal* "Yeah, whatever. But think of it, the pink lovers together. A pink house with a pink fence, a pink dog, pink, pink, pink... " *shudder* "Urgg..."

Aerith: "A pink dog?"

LTS: *ignores her* "It would be my nightmare! Just thinking about all that pink..." *shudder*

Aerith: "... I want that dog..."

Zack: "Here!" *hands her a pink dog*

LTS: "AAAAH!" *runs away* "No more pink! Teef! I need your black and white!"

Pink dog: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Aerith: "It talks!"

Pink dog: "If Nanaki and the Tifa plushy can, I can too."

Zack: "R&R!"

Pink dog: "Thanks for reading."

CIH! 15/02/2010 And I don't hate Aerith... Not too much at least.


	22. Zack

**A/N**: Chap 22.

LTS: "..."

Zack: "Lady?"

LTS: "..." *hugs Zack*

Zack: "Hey? What's wrong?"

LTS: "Zack, don't hate me okay?"

Zack: "... Lady..."

LTS: "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Zack

..

As any other day after the classes, Zack and Tifa mounted his Hardy Daytona and went to Cosmo Canyon.

"See you later." He hugged her.

"Yeah." She smiled. "What do you want for dinner today?"

Zack crossed his arms and thought about it for a moment. "Meat?" Tifa laughed.

She nodded and waved goodbye.

It was their private joke, she always asked him and he always said the opposite of what he wanted. It was her job to know if he was lying or telling her the truth. It was silly and childish, but Zack was glad that Tifa had some moments of silly jokes between her 'sickness' and being the caretaker of everyone. He watched her go and smiled.

..

Zack pulled his bike to a stop and got off. After leaving his sister at her job, he went to the school for the training of his basketball team. He always stayed there until nine, and when he got home Tifa would already be there with the supper ready.

He entered the gym and was surprised to find it empty. He picked up a basketball and started training alone.

After two hours of being alone, Zack realized something was wrong. He looked around him. The whole building was deserted. He decided it would be better to go back home, so he showered and went to the parking lot in front of the school where his bike was.

"What the..." Zack's words died in his throat.

The bike -if it could still be called that- was destroyed. The wires were burning on the floor and the chassis was scattered in pieces all over the floor. Zack approached the remains of his bike and sighed.

"This is 'hate' in Nibelheim."

"More or less." He turned around. Loz and Yazoo were there with three of their slaves/friends. He glared at them.

"What do you want?"

Loz smirked. "Do you really have to ask?"

..

It was three in the morning and Zack still hadn't returned.

Tifa was pacing nervously in the living room. At ten the previous evening she had called him, but his phone apparently didn't have a signal. She called Vincent too, but he didn't know anything either. At midnight she had asked Cloud to go with her to search for him, but Angeal didn't let them go. At one o'clock, Angeal -seeing Tifa's distressed state- left to search for him and at two, Cloud left to search as well.

Tifa was about to go herself when her phone rang.

Tifa grabbed her phone. "Zack!"

_"Sorry Teef, I don't know where to search anymore."_ Tifa could hear Fenrir's engine.

She sighed and slumped on the couch. "Have you seen Angeal?"

_"Not yet."_ Tifa heard the front door and rushed there.

"Wait, I heard the door, maybe it's them." She went there with her phone still in her hand.

Not for long though.

The phone slipped from her grasp and she started to back away.

"Are you afraid, Lockhart?"

She screamed.

..

"TIFA!" Cloud yelled at his phone. "Shit!" He turned around and sped up.

He had left her alone. He knew something like this could happen, even Angeal knew it! That's why he had told them to stay home while he searched for Zack, and he, Cloud, had left her alone!

Cloud sighed and tried to control himself. _'How could this happen? A few hours ago we were joking and laughing together and now Zack is nowhere to be seen and Tifa...' _He shook his head.

Tifa was okay; she had to be.

* * *

**A/N**: ... Keep reading.

Cloud: "Is Teef okay?"

Aerith: "Is Zack okay!"

Lazard: "My sons are evil."

LTS: "Yes, they are. **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**"

Lazard: "R&R and thanks for reading."

CIH! 15/02/2010


	23. Finding the siblings

**A/N**: Chap 23.

Loz: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Yazoo: "She's not here..."

Loz: "..."

Yazoo: "..."

* * *

**Title**: Finding the siblings.

..

Cloud dismounted Fenrir and ran to the door.

"Tifa!" She was lying on her side on the floor. She wasn't moving. _'No…'_ He slowly lifted her body, put her in his arms, and shook her. "Tifa!" He put his ear to her chest, her heart was beating and she was breathing, but she wasn't waking. "Tifa, open your eyes!" He looked at her face, but his eyes moved down to her neck, there was a needle mark.

After a moment, she finally stirred a little but his relief was crushed and replaced by fear. Her eyes opened and they were shining, her skin felt hot and she was shaking. A tear escaped from her eyes and she started crying and screaming. "It hurts!" She was arching her back and shaking. "It hurts!" He shook his head; it wasn't the time to be afraid. She was in pain. He put a hand on her back, searching for an injury. Cloud's eyes widened and his body froze.

He didn't find an injury.

But he felted something.

Tifa's shining eyes fell upon his wide ones. She shook her head _'No…'_ She freed herself from his arms while Cloud was still frozen in place. She couldn't let him see her; she got up and started running.

..

"Zack!" Angeal rushed to his side, they were in an alley near the manor of the town.

Zack was on the floor and some people were surrounding him, but at Angeal's yell they ran away. "Zack!" The boy was covered in blood and had some cuts. He thought of calling a hospital, but Nibelheim was a small village and the nearest hospital was in Rocket city.

Angeal lifted Zack gently and searched for vital signs, when he was sure he would be okay, he carried him home.

..

Cloud's eyes went down to his right hand. He had felt something in her back.

He looked in front of him and Tifa wasn't there anymore, his eyes widened. "Where…!" He turned around and looked outside. _'Tifa...?'_ He got up and went outside.

"Vincent?"

"I heard Tifa screaming." Vincent was looking around.

Cloud bowed his head and his hands where in front of his face. "I... I don't know... I don't know where she is... She was here... And her back..."

Vincent turned to him. "Her back?" Vincent grabbed his phone.

Cloud was in too much shock to even listen to Vincent anymore. He started walking without knowing where.

After what felt like an eternity, he heard sobs and came to a halt. The action snapped him from his daze and finally allowed him to control his own movements. He walked forward towards the well in the centre of the city. The sobs came from the top of the well.

He climbed the well and looked down. Inside the nearly empty well was Tifa. She was sitting and hugging her knees, she was still crying and shaking. He extended his arm and put his hand on her shoulder. "Tifa." Her head snapped up and her eyes widened, they were still shining, but Cloud couldn't let himself be controlled by fear again. He entered the well; the water reached past his knees, but he kneeled down on the bottom anyway. Now the water almost reached their shoulders. They stayed like that facing each other.

"Why?" Her voice was broken.

He made an effort to smile in spite of the fear. "I want to know you, remember?"

She smiled a little, but the pain in her back made her arch again, close her eyes and yelp. She slumped forward, her legs bent on the floor at each side of her and her head rested against Cloud's chest while she continued to cry.

Cloud put his arms around her, embracing her. "Tifa..."

"I don't want you to see it..." She lifted her right hand and clenched his shirt.

He caressed her back with one hand and her hair with the other. "See what?" His cheek was resting on her temple.

"The proof..." She winced at the pain. "That I'm a monster..." She screamed. "I can't control it anymore... You have to... Go away..." Her sobs were heartbreaking.

He kissed her temple and the hand on her back, once again, found what he had felt before, only now, it was more prominent. He drew back that hand, searched for her left hand, and intertwined his fingers with hers. "Teef... I'm here." He squeezed her hand. "Do you really want me to go away?"

Her only response was the tightening of her hold on his hand and the pull on his shirt.

* * *

**A/N**: Anyone knows already what Cloud felt?

Zack: "..."

Tifa: "..."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading..."

Denzel: "... Mom is going to die?"

LTS: "HELL NO!"

CIH! 15/02/2010


	24. Tifa's secret

**A/N**: Chap 24!

LTS: "And Tifa's secret is..."

Everyone: "... Is..."

LTS: "... She's a Tonberry and the thing Cloud felt was the hump!"

Everyone: "..." *everyone goes away*

LTS: "... **Disclaimer: I don't own anything…** I thought it was funny..."

* * *

**Title**: Tifa's secret.

..

Tifa's grip on his hand was painful, but he didn't back away. Instead, he squeezed her harder against him.

When she screamed again, he tried to talk to her. "Tifa, there's a way to stop this, right?" She squeezed harder. "Can you tell me?"

She shook her head. "Sorry..."

He shook his head too. "It's okay. I... I want to help you, Teef." She shook her head again and screamed once again, this time it was louder and longer and she arched her back. Cloud saw her back, it seemed like two bones were going to come out.

"Cloud..." She slumped forward completely, losing consciousness.

And then it happened.

Hundreds of feathers were in the air dancing around them and falling in the water. Tearing her flesh apart, two white wings had come out of her shoulder blades.

Cloud stared at them. They moved once and then fell slowly to each side of the pair of teenagers, as if the wings were trying to protect them. The wings were stained with blood, but the water was cleaning them.

He tried to look at her face, she had fainted and she looked like she was just sleeping. "An angel..." The words escaped him without him realizing it.

He tried to lift her and she stirred, he called her. "Tifa?" She opened her eyes; they were still shining. She was staring at him, her face expressionless. "Teef?... Are you okay?" She drew back a little and turned her eyes away from him. Her whole back was numb and she knew it was probably bleeding.

Her eyes turned to her right hand; she was still clenching his shirt. She opened her hand slowly and let go, but before she could draw back completely, Cloud put his free hand above hers, trapping it between his chest and his hand, and smiled at her. "It's okay, Teef."

..

Angeal put Zack on his bed and treated the cuts. When he was inspecting the bruises, Zack opened his eyes. "Angeal?" He tried to get up.

"We all know how hyper you can be, but right now you really need to stay put, those cuts and bruises must hurt badly." Zack nodded. Then, his eyes widened.

"Where is Tifa!" He tried to get up again, but Angeal stopped him.

"I don't know, but you are going to stay here until you are healed."

Zack cursed. "Those bastards said they were going to 'pay her a visit' I have to find her!" The door opened.

"Tifa and Cloud are missing." Vincent was in the doorway. "Sephiroth and Shalua are coming, I'll go search for Tifa again, call me if something happens." Angeal nodded in agreement and Vincent exited the house again.

..

"How do you do it…" Cloud trailed off.

Tifa sighed. Cloud had already seen her wings, what more was there to hide? "They go back inside." She chuckled in spite of the situation. "It's really strange, they just go back inside until the next time..."

He nodded. "Shalua helps you to control it, right?"

She blinked. "How do you…"

"You said you couldn't control it anymore."

She bowed her head and sighed. "The blood."

"The transfusions?"

She shook her head. "The needle wasn't connected to my wrist." She chuckled humourlessly. "Now your head is screaming 'vampire', isn't it?"

He chuckled too. "Maybe a little."

Her eyes widened. She wasn't expecting him to dismiss so easily the fact that she drank blood. Maybe he misunderstood her? "Cloud... I need to drink blood to control my inner monster..."

He cocked his head. "I've figured that much." He smiled.

_'What the...'_ "Cloud. It's not normal."

Cloud's smile turned into a smirk. "Tifa, we are inside a well, surrounded by blood-stained water and feathers with two wings attached to your back, in a village where someone can kill you just because they don't like you. I don't think drinking blood is that bad, is it?"

* * *

**A/N**: Am I the only one whose face at the end was O.o? I think this story sounded saner in my head...

LTS: "... Gods, people must think I'm crazy or something..."

Everyone: "..."

LTS: "Yeah, I know; I'm talking with fictional characters, in a fictional house, about fictional things… But I'm not crazy! I swear!" *sigh* "Well, here's the secret you asked, **Amaranthos**. I hope you forgive me for making it be so... Vampiric? Oh, well, you didn't say anything about what the secret was about, so..." *shrug*

Tifa: "You know, normally the vampire is Vincent."

LTS: "He's the first vampire. He bit you."

Cloud: "Really?"

LTS: "Of course not! Urgg, you really thought this would be about vampires?"

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Then the blood?"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading." *turns to Zack* "It's not clear yet?" *sings* "Vinny, Vampi... VAMPIRE!"

Everyone: "WTF!"

LTS: "I was dying to say that..."

CIH! 16/02/2010 This is far from over guys!


	25. Shots

**A/N**: Chap 25!

Tifa: "Shots? Are you going to shoot someone?"

LTS: "It's not 'shots' of guns and bullets, it's of injections."

Cloud: "I don't like that any better."

Zack: "I don't like any of them."

LTS: "Oh, it's true... You two aren't good friends with that word..."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything...**"

* * *

**Title**: Shots

..

The wings in Tifa's back were starting to shrink and retreat back inside of her. She was biting her lips and muffling her sounds of pain in Cloud's shirt while he embraced her and tried to comfort her.

When it was finally over, he looked at her back. It had some blood, but the wounds were healing.

"It takes some minutes... But they heal very fast..." Her breath still came in uneven gasps, but her eyes had turned to their normal red.

"But they leave scars, right?" Tifa nodded. "We probably should get out of here." He looked around. If he stood up, he could easily reach the top. "Can you stand?" She tried to get up, but her legs felt like jelly.

"Sorry..."

He smiled. "Don't worry, it's okay." He turned around. "Hold on."

She cocked her head to the side and he couldn't help but think how cute she looked. "Huh?" He smiled again.

"Put your arms around my neck." She didn't move. "Do you trust me?" Tifa nodded and put her hands on his shoulders. Cloud took her hands and pulled at them towards his chest, causing her to slump against his back. She let out a gasp. "Hold on tight." This time she did.

He got out of the well with Tifa clutching his back. Once they were on 'dry land' again, Cloud helped Tifa move her legs to each side of his waist, and carried her on his back. "Ready to go back home?" She nodded.

"I hope Zack is okay..."

"Yeah. Don't worry, I'm sure Angeal found him." They looked to the sky.

"The crack of dawn..." The sun was still hidden behind the mountains, but the sky was already red and turning blue, the colours made Tifa smile. "It's beautiful..." Cloud only nodded. The feeling of her body against his was leaving him speechless. It felt good and strangely... Right... "Cloud?" He snapped from his dream world and grunted in acknowledgment. "I... Am I too heavy or something? You can put me down if you want... You must be pretty tired..."

"It's not that. Don't worry, I'm not tired." He kept walking.

..

Sephiroth, Shalua and Vincent were in Zack's room keeping an eye on him while Angeal went out to search for Tifa and Cloud.

Just when Angeal exited the room, the front door opened. They all rushed there only to stop at the sight in front of them. Tifa was on Cloud's back and they were smiling. When the two realized they were being watched, they blushed crimson.

"I... Cloud, you can let me down..."

Cloud looked at her over his shoulder. "Huh?"

"We're home..."

"Oh! Yeah, sorry..." He crouched down and let go of her.

Vincent chuckled. "This means you two are okay, then?" They blushed even redder and nodded. Sephiroth turned around and headed towards Zack's room.

Tifa composed herself. "Is Zack here?"

Angeal nodded. "I found him." He glanced at Shalua and at her nod, he continued. "You want to see him?"

..

Tifa and Cloud went to Zack's room and Sephiroth opened the door for them.

"Oh my god..." Zack's body was almost fully covered in bandages and he had a black eye. Tifa kneeled at one side of the bed. "...Zack?"

He opened his eyes. "Hey, are you okay?" His voice was weak because the painkillers and tranquillisers Shalua had given him.

"You idiot! You're the one in bed!"

"You're the one whose back has been torn apart." He sighed. "I promised I wouldn't let it happen again... Sorry Tifa." She shook her head.

"It's okay."

Cloud took a step forward. "Hey, Zack."

"Hey, spiky." He smiled. "I've heard from tall and handsome-" Sephiroth huffed. "That you're the one who carried my sister back here."

Cloud could feel the blush but ignored it. "You know something about shots?" From the clueless expressions on everyone's faces, he knew he had to explain better. He pointed towards Tifa. "Look at her neck."

"Huh?" Tifa looked at Cloud and he nodded. She got up and went towards the mirror; she pulled back her hair and looked at her neck. "What's wrong?"

Sephiroth approached her and searched for something strange. "A needle mark?" He turned towards Cloud. "Someone has injected her with something?"

"Teef, who was at the door when I called you?"

She returned to Zack's side and sat on the bed, after a long pause, she answered. "Hojo."

* * *

**A/N**: Yup. Hojo. *shrug*

LTS: "Chocolate pie for anyone who can make a non-evil Hojo."

Cloud: "**"

LTS: "No cussing!"

Cloud: "It wasn't a curse, just two asterisks."

Hojo: "Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife owns everything, sue her."

LTS: *kills Hojo like he killed Vince* "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**"

Vincent: "VENDETTA!"

LTS: "WTF!"

Cloud: "R&R."

Dead Hojo: "Thanks for reading, **"

LTS: *re-kills Hojo* "No cussing, bastard!"

CIH! 16/02/2010 Everyone still remembers this is a high school fic, right...? *sweat drop*


	26. Who is Hojo?

**A/N**: Chap 26!

Zack: "Why did you have to put Hojo in the story? We were happy without him."

LTS: "What can I say? I'm evil." *shrug*

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Tifa: "Why do you make the disclaimer?"

Kou: "Because I'm bored."

Tifa: "Okay..." *backs away slowly*

* * *

**Title**: Who is Hojo?

..

"Hojo?" Cloud and Zack asked at the same time.

"At least I think it was him..." Tifa crossed her arms and glanced between the boys.

Cloud looked directly at Tifa, "Who is 'Hojo'?" However, it was Sephiroth who answered.

"He's the one who Genesis is looking for."

..

Aerith turned around at her desk and looked around. No Tifa, no Zack and no Cloud. She turned again and her brows furrowed. _'Where are they?'_ It had been a while since they had become friends and Aerith was worried for them, it was strange for them to skip a class.

"Today, three of your classmates have to stay at home." She turned towards the voice. Angeal was at his desk speaking to the class. "They had a good reason to stay there for the rest of the week. Now let's start class."

Aerith picked up a piece of paper, quickly scribbled a note on it and gave it to Yuffie, who was behind her.

"_You know something about them?"_ After reading it, Yuffie wrote on it and gave it back to Aerith.

"_No, maybe we should go to their house and see if everything is alright."_ Aerith nodded to Yuffie and turned to her books.

Yuffie was turning to her books too when a piece of paper landed on her desk. She opened it.

"_If you and your friend are going to go to Tifa's house, I'll accompany you. Vincent Valentine." _

She looked to her right and saw Vincent looking at her expectantly. She nodded.

'_He's a good friend of Zack and Tifa, he must be worried too.' _

..

Cissnei turned around, today Sephiroth was missing and it was strange for him to skip any class. Lazard's sons were creating havoc trying to find out where he was, and Cissnei knew things were going to get even worse once they learned who else was missing.

She rested her elbows on the table and her chin in her hand. Cissnei never understood why they hated Tifa so much. _'She's a nice person, she's caring and sweet. Wait. Maybe that's it.' _Cissnei's eyes widened and then returned to their normal size. '_That's absurd. Why would someone hate another for being nice?'_

..

Zack and Cloud turned to Sephiroth. _'The one who Genesis is looking for?'_

Zack asked. "This 'Hojo' isn't Genesis' missing girlfriend, right?" When nobody answered, Cloud asked Tifa.

"Hojo is your parent's doctor, isn't he?" Zack's eyes widened and he turned towards Tifa.

"What! Why didn't you tell me!" Zack glanced towards Sephiroth and then turned his eyes towards Tifa again. "Why did you tell it to Sephiroth but not me?" Zack bowed his head. He and Tifa had been together for a long time, but she didn't trust him enough to tell him that?

"Zack." She put a hand on his arm and he turned a little towards her. "Zack, listen." He turned fully and looked at her in the eyes. "Zack, I didn't tell you because I know how much you hate my parents. I thought you would do something stupid like go there to yell at him." She smiled at him and he sighed.

"I can't yell at him?" His tone was almost pleading and it made Tifa laugh. "But why does Sephiroth know him?"

"I can answer that." Cloud and Zack turned towards Sephiroth. "When I found out the true nature of the 'illness', I began to search for information about it. Loz and Yazoo knew it all, the 'illness', the names of her parents and the name of their doctor. They told me everything."

Zack nodded. "And how did they find out?"

"I don't know, but they must be hiding something. They know too much." Sephiroth crossed his arms and leaned against the wall.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 26... Wow, 26 chaps already...

Cloud: "The chaps are short."

LTS: "I know."

Zack: "Really short."

LTS: "Do you hate me or something? I know they are short, but I update quickly."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "You aren't going to complain?"

Tifa: "Congratulations for the 26th chap."

LTS: "Thanks Tifa."

Cloud: "R&R."

Zack: "Thanks for reading!"

CIH! 03/03/2010


	27. Dead or Alive

**A/N**: Chap 27!

Vincent: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Finally! Where were you?"

Vincent: "Yuffie wanted ice cream."

LTS: "Okay... Whatever. You owe a hug."

Vincent: "..."

LTS: "FinalFantasyFreak92! Come here!" *FinalFantasyFreak92 enters the room* "Here's the hug I promised to you, don't worry, he won't run away or anything."

Vincent: "..." *hugs FinalFantasyFreak92* "There."

LTS: "Hey... You can let go of him now..."

Vincent: "..."

LTS: "I need him alive, you know?"

* * *

**Title**: Dead or Alive.

..

Sephiroth was still in Tifa and Zack's house by the time afternoon rolled around.

"I better return to my house. Loz and Yazoo wouldn't be very happy if they knew that I was here, and Lazard would probably only make it worse..." Sephiroth got up and headed to the bedroom door.

Tifa leaned forward a little. "Thanks for staying until now." Sephiroth only nodded before he left the house.

Cloud looked at Tifa. "This Hojo… is like Shalua?"

Tifa shook her head. "I only know him by his name, I actually thought he was dead. Shalua told me about him and about the things he has done. To put it simply, Shalua helps and Hojo destroys."

"He was your parents' doctor. Didn't he help them to control the illness?"

"My parents' 'illness' was different than mine, they didn't grow wings. And Hojo was the one who tainted their blood."

"Then he was the one?" Zack asked, and upon Tifa's nod he explained it to Cloud. "Tifa's parents were test subjects in one of Hojo's experiments. Her mother was pregnant with Tifa at that time, and that's why she has the taint too."

Tifa furthered the explanation. "But their taint was controlled by Hojo; he gave them blood and kept them locked until they..." She took a deep breath. "Their taint gave them strength, and it made them become violent. One day, they broke the cell where they were locked up in and ran away. When I was born, they came here and bought a house. I thought they had killed Hojo during their escape, but it apparently he's still alive."

"Or at least someone who is using his name. After all you yourself said you only know him by his name, right?" Cloud asked and Tifa nodded. "What did the man look like?"

"What man?" Zack asked.

"When I was searching for you I called Tifa, she said someone was at the door and then she screamed."

Tifa's brows furrowed. "He was wearing a hood, I couldn't see his face. But he said, 'So this is where you've been hiding. Your parents were such nice pets. What's wrong? Are you afraid, Lockhart?' I think Hojo was the only one who knew about the experiments."

Cloud shook his head. "The director's sons knew it too."

"Yeah, but they were occupied with me." Zack chuckled humourlessly.

The doorbell rang and Tifa got up. "Wait, I'll go with you." Cloud got up and went with Tifa to see whom it was.

Cloud opened the door and Vincent walked past them and headed towards Zack's room. "Cloud, Tifa, nice to see you." He bowed and climbed the stairs.

Cloud's tone lowered to almost a whisper. "Go ahead, the house is all yours..." Tifa -who was within earshot- giggled.

"He's always like that, this is like his second home."

"Hey! You two aren't going to say anything!" They turned towards the door again. Yuffie and Aerith were there.

"Are you two alright? Vincent wouldn't tell us why you three didn't come to school today." Aerith's worried tone made Tifa smile. They were really becoming great friends.

"We're alright, we had an 'accident', Zack is upstairs in his bed."

Yuffie glanced at Tifa's right shoulder. "We're alright? Then why are you wearing bandages under your shirt?"

Tifa felt bad for lying to them, but they couldn't know the truth either. "We had an accident with his bike, but I'm okay." Cloud looked at her and his eyes narrowed. She was okay? Her back had been torn apart and she was okay? The girls were talking while Cloud was thinking.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Aerith hugged Tifa and Yuffie jumped in to join the embrace.

"Group hug!" They fell to the ground causing Cloud to shake off his daze. He looked at Tifa and when he saw her face, his eyes widened. He grabbed her hand, hauled her up, called Vincent over his shoulder, and carried her to the bathroom. All without giving the girls time to ask what was happening. Once they were inside, he locked the door.

* * *

**A/N**: Cliff-hanger?

LTS: "If someone wants a hug from Vincent, just ask!"

Vincent: "No more hugs."

LTS: "Why not?"

Vincent: "Just... No."

LTS: "Okay..."

FinalFantasyFreak92: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Thanks!" *makes a high-five with FinalFantasyFreak92*

Yuffie: "R&R! And thanks for reading!" *hugs Vincent*

CIH! 03/03/2010 From now on I'll stop updating once a day, sorry but I don't have much spare time now...


	28. Vincent

**A/N**: Chap 28.

Cloud: "What did I see?"

LTS: "It's just ahead, be patient."

Tifa: "Why is everything happening to me?"

LTS: "Consider this as your part of the story, later we will focus on Cloud's past."

Zack: "Hey! It's true, we don't know anything about him!"

Cloud: "Only that I hate my uncle, but we don't know who he is."

LTS: "Yup, but for the moment this is Tifa's story."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Vincent

..

"Why didn't you tell me it still hurts?" Cloud looked at her sternly.

"What do you mean?" She was in front of him, avoiding his eyes.

He sighed and took a step closer to her. Cloud turned her around and watched her back. Her shirt was stained with blood. "I saw you wince when Aerith and Yuffie hugged you. Shalua treated the wounds, but the bandages are soaked with blood. You should have stayed in bed. You need time to recover."

She shook her head. "It's okay, I'll change the bandages. I'm sure the wounds are already closed, and Zack needs me awake."

"No." She turned her head so she could see his face. "He'd want you to rest too, and your wounds aren't closed. Or maybe they have reopened. Your back is bleeding, Teef." Cloud got a towel and tried to clean up some of the blood. "We should call Shalua again."

Before Tifa could protest, a knock sounded from the other side of the door.

"Cloud? Yuffie and Aerith say you're in there." Cloud turned towards the door.

"Vincent, can you-" Cloud went to open the door, but Tifa stopped him. Cloud looked at her face, it was the same face that made him yell 'Tiffany' the first day they met. "Vincent, I got this, can you keep the girls away from here?"

"I got it." Vincent turned and took the girls to the living room. When Cloud heard the TV turn on, he turned back to Tifa.

"You said he knows about the illness."

She nodded and then bowed her head, making her hair fall over her face. "He _does_ know about it. I just... I don't want him to see it again. The first time he saw it..." She trailed off and Cloud took her hand in reassurance, he understood how hard this was for her, but he needed to know. He gave her some time and turned her around again to continue cleaning her back. "The first time he saw it he was only ten years old. He... He started to scream. He was terrified, he ran away and he... He called me a monster." Cloud's eyes darkened. "It's not that I blame him or anything, he just… stated the truth. But I don't want him to go through that again."

"You really think that, don't you?" Cloud's tone was barely a whisper, like he didn't mean to say it aloud.

"I..." Cloud stopped his actions and sighed.

"You should change your bandages now." She spared a glance at his face over her shoulder and then nodded, but Cloud didn't look at her.

Cloud exited the bathroom to give her some privacy and went to the living room. Aerith and Yuffie were watching the TV and talking. Since they were entertained, he decided to check on Zack and Vincent first. He knocked on the door to Zack's room. "It's Cloud, can I come in?" After receiving a muffled reply in the affirmative, he opened the door and saw Zack in his bed alone. "Where's Vincent?"

"I thought he was with you. Didn't you call him?" Cloud nodded and after asking Zack if he needed anything, he left. Cloud returned to the living room and saw Tifa was already there with the other two girls. He walked past the room and went to the kitchen. He found Vincent there getting some glasses.

"What are you doing?"

Vincent glanced at Cloud but continued his task. "I'm bringing something to drink to the girls."

"And Tifa let you enter the kitchen?" Cloud asked incredulously.

"Actually, she was the one who asked me if I could do it." Cloud's eyes widened and he turned towards the living room, but stopped midway. Tifa was in front of him, with her hands clasped behind her.

"You said I had to rest... So I..."

He couldn't resist the smile that was growing on his face. He nodded and took her hand. They went to the living room and sat on the couch.

After checking Zack a few times and helping Tifa to change her bandages again, dinnertime arrived.

"Anyone knows how to cook?" The last time they cooked something, Tifa and Cissnei were the ones at the stove.

Everyone looked at each other and then at Tifa.

"I think we'll have to wait until Angeal comes back and order something, again."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 28.

Cloud: "So Tifa has finally decided to rest?"

LTS: "You know how Teef is, she'll be doing things again before you know it."

Cloud: *sigh* "Yeah…"

LTS: "But you love her anyway, right?"

Cloud: "Yeah."

Zack: "So Vince the Vampire was afraid of a little girl with wings?"

LTS: "Ten-year-old Vince was afraid of a little girl crying, screaming, with blood all over her back, and let's not forget with wings."

Zack: "..."

LTS: "Yeah, better stay quiet."

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** R&R and thanks for reading."

LTS: *sigh* "I suppose there's no way to keep you quiet..."

CIH! 04/03/2010


	29. Criyng for you

**A/N**: Chap 29.

LTS: "Okay, **Gonkinator** wants to see Sephy here, so this time, he'll be here. No running away guys!"

Cloud: "You like to torture us, right?"

Sephiroth: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: *clears his throat* "So... You seem to be a good guy in this story. Are you going to stab us in the back or something?"

Sephiroth: "That only depends on LadyTeefStrife's judgement. I am not responsible for my actions in this story."

Zack: "So you can try to kill us here?"

Sephiroth: "Certainly."

LTS: "Sephy, what do you think about you being in love with Tifa?"

Cloud: "Hey!"

Sephiroth: "First, stop calling me Sephy. And about Lockhart, she's a strong woman, maybe in another place and in another life I could have loved her."

LTS: "Like in AU's?"

Sephy: "Exactly. And I said stop calling me that."

LTS: "You don't give me orders, Sephy!" *runs away*

* * *

**Title**: Crying for you.

..

When Angeal arrived home, Cloud explained the situation to him.

"Yuffie, Aerith and Vincent are going to stay here today, Tifa is still recovering from her fall, it took a while but she's finally resting in her bedroom. Zack is in his bed."

"That means we are going to have pizza for dinner, right?"

"Unless you can cook, I'm afraid the answer is yes." Angeal sighed and went to his room. Before he completely closed the door he said, "I'll order the pizza. Have you checked on Tifa and Zack?" After Cloud's affirmative nod, he closed the door.

"Cloud?" The blond turned to see Aerith staring at him. Upon hearing Cloud's grunt of acknowledgement, she continued. "Zack is in his room?"

"Yes, but I don't think he wants any visitors right now. Sorry."

"The bike accident must had been pretty serious."

"Yes." He didn't like lying to anyone, but Tifa and the others had already lied to them -for good reason. Cloud didn't have a choice but to play along with Tifa and the others' lie.

She nodded before raising one of her eyebrows. "Why did you carry Tifa to the bathroom earlier?"

From the insinuating expression on her face, Cloud knew he couldn't continue to avoid the question.

..

"She what?" Yuffie began to exclaim before Aerith's hand clamped down over the smaller girl's mouth.

"Shush! Cloud said it's a secret!" She reprimanded Yuffie with a glare. Aerith looked around to ensure the room was still empty of unwanted ears, she continued. "He told me because I asked him, and because I was present when he carried her away."

"Mmmffhh!" Yuffie pried her head away from Aerith's hand. "But I was there too, why didn't he tell me too?"

"Because it's a secret! You can't tell anyone, okay?"

Yuffie sighed and sank down on the couch. "But I don't understand why it's a secret, after all-"

"What is a secret?" Vincent's voice sounded from behind them. Yuffie turned her head slowly and looked at him over the back of the couch.

"Oh, hey Vincent..." She tried to stall for time. "We were talking about..." She looked at Aerith for help, but her friend shook her head.

"It's your problem, not mine." Aerith shrugged and got up. "I'm going to visit Tifa in her room."

Yuffie's glare followed Aerith's movements all the way up the stairs. And she thought they were friends! But Yuffie couldn't be mad at her, especially after Aerith turned and winked at her before disappearing from sight. The mischievous glance clearly said; 'Alone time with Valentine! It's your opportunity!'

After Aerith disappeared from sight, Yuffie turned to Vincent. He wouldn't relent. "What were you talking about?"

From the determined look in his eyes, Yuffie knew she couldn't avoid the question.

..

Aerith stopped in front of Tifa's room and contemplated going in. She knew Tifa needed some rest and that Cloud was in there keeping her company already. Aerith made up her mind to check on Zack instead. When she arrived at his door, she stopped and knocked. After not receiving a response, she tried again.

"Come in." Zack's voice sounded muffled from the other side of the door. Cloud had said Zack didn't want visitors… Oh, well.

She opened the door a bit and talked through the crack between door and frame. "It's Aerith..."

"What? Wait!"

The panicked shout came too late as Aerith had already opened the door and walked inside. She came to an abrupt stop upon seeing the severity of the wounds from the accident. She looked over Zack's bandaged body and black eye. A black eye in a traffic accident? Her eyes widened. "It wasn't an accident, was it?"

Zack looked at her and sighed. "You could have said your name before opening the door." She didn't say anything; she just approached him and sat on a chair besides the bed.

"Cloud and Tifa told everyone you had an accident on your bike while taking her to her job."

"It was a good excuse."

"It was."

..

Cloud was keeping Tifa company in her room while he also ensured she didn't try to do too much. As he suspected, the wounds on her back had reopened when they had fallen to the ground earlier. Now he understood why she was always so tired after her 'attacks', and why Zack promised never let them happen again.

They had told Angeal she had fallen from the well, and for everyone else, she and Zack had a traffic accident. The only people who knew the truth were Zack, Shalua, Sephiroth and Cloud himself. And he liked be a part of the select few who weren't kept in the dark. He was slowly getting to know Tifa, and felt happy that she let him get to know her, because -for all he knew- he was the only one who she had willingly let in.

Tifa was tucked into her bed and chatting with Cloud until they heard the doorbell. Cloud got up and made it to the door before Tifa spoke up.

"Cloud... Thank you... for caring so much, it means a lot to me." He could hear her smile in those words; they made him feel all warm and fuzzy inside, just like when he actually saw it. He nodded without looking at her and exited the room. That day, the pizza delivery boy had a funny story to tell to his friends about a blushing blond-haired customer.

..

"It was Loz and Yazoo?"

Zack turned his eyes away from Aerith until they rested upon the ceiling. "They were waiting for me. They destroyed my bike and then said they wanted to pay Tifa a visit."

"They weren't alone, were they?"

He shook his head. "There were three more. They surrounded me, I fought them but..."

"Why did you do it?" He looked at her in puzzlement. "Why didn't you just run away?"

He sat up slowly, placing his back against the pillows and the wall, and locked eyes with her. "Because they would have done it to Tifa." Her eyes widened. He had let them hurt him so bad only to protect his sister?

"Why are you doing all of this?" He cocked his head, not knowing what she meant. "Why are you risking your life for her? Is it because she's your sister? Or is it because you think you're expendable? You think her life is more valuable than your own?"

"You talk like you want her dead."

She got up and yelled at him. "It's not that! Don't you understand! Do you think she's happy when you get hurt like this!" She felt a tear rolling down her cheek and she stopped. Why didn't he understand? She sat down on her chair again and cried; her right hand brushing away her tears while her left clenched the hem of her skirt. The only sounds in the room were his breathing and her soft sobs.

After a while, Zack took her hand away from her face. "Thank you, Aerith." She looked up and saw him smiling at her. "It's nice to have someone who cries for you, even if I don't deserve it." He handed her a handkerchief and released her hand, letting her dry her face with it.

After a few shaky breaths, she spoke. "You're welcome..." Her ashamed and flushed face made Zack grin and she tossed the handkerchief at him. "What's so funny!"

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 29.

LTS: "I hope the Zerith was okay..."

Zack: "My angel cries for me... Aerith I love you!"

Sephiroth: "All the relationships are going to start with crying girls?"

LTS: "Shut up, Sephy."

Sephiroth: *pulls out Masamune* "Try me." *tries to cut LTS in half*

LTS: *stops the blade with two fingers* "No use."

Sephiroth: "What..."

LTS: "This is my dream world; I can do what I want, and I wanted to stop your Masamune. I'm a super girl! Muahahaha!"

Aerith: "Zack? Did you call me?"

LTS: "Argg! No! Pink!" *runs away*

Sephiroth: "..."

Zack: "Aerith is LTS's kryptonite?"

Aerith: "I think we scarred her for life..."

Pink dog: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Genesis' pink underwear with L-O-V-E-L-E-S-S written in yellow words: "R&R and thanks for reading."

CIH! 05/03/2010 Blame PeAceLovEr 12 for the underwear thing! XD


	30. Secrets?

**A/N**: Chap 30!

LTS: "So... Vince, what do you think of this fic?"

Vincent: "I don't know where this is leading."

LTS: "... The conversation or the fic?"

Vincent: "Both."

LTS: "..."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** I think Vincent doesn't likes you."

LTS: "Old news!"

* * *

**Title**: Secrets?

..

They decided to have dinner in Zack's room. Yuffie was told the same version of the truth that Angeal knew before she saw Zack's injuries since she was the sole resident in the house who wasn't aware of at least one of the two stories surrounding the incident.

Everyone was sprawled in his room. Zack and Tifa were on the bed so they could rest, Cloud was on the chair beside the bed, Yuffie and Aerith took residence upon the carpeted floor and Vincent and Angeal sat on chairs next to Zack's desk. They were enjoying the pizza when Vincent spoke up.

"Why does Yuffie and Aerith think Tifa is a man?"

Tifa choked on her food, Zack broke out laughing so hard that it started to hurt his sides, Angeal looked at Vincent but just kept eating, Cloud and Aerith looked at each other questioningly and Yuffie's face went pale.

"That's your way of keeping a secret?"

When Tifa regained the ability to breathe again, she dared to ask. "Secret?"

"Yuffie and Aerith were talking about some secret, and Yuffie told me it was about you being a man, and Cloud knowing it."

"Me?" Cloud's eyebrows rose.

Yuffie sighed and explained further. "Aerith told me what you told her. You know, how you two ran away to the bathroom together for no apparent reason thing? But she said it was a secret, so I couldn't tell Vincent the truth and that was the first thing that crossed my mind!"

"Me being a man?" Asked Tifa incredulously.

"Well, yeah! You know, we were hugging you, and during that we could have 'felt' something, so Cloud carried you away before we could ask. It was a good excuse!"

"So, Spiky carried my sister again?" Zack smirked at Cloud.

"It's not what you think! She was..." Cloud stammered and tried to explain himself, but Aerith cut him off.

"He told me Tifa was sick and needed medicine from the bathroom."

Cloud sighed and decided to explain the 'truth'. "Look, Tifa was injured yesterday when she fell from the water tower and when you two hugged her I saw her wince, so I picked her up to see if her wounds were okay. So forget what I said before. There's no medicine and she's definitively _not_ a man." The last word was directed exclusively at Yuffie and accompanied with a glare.

They continued chatting while Vincent and Angeal watched the scene.

The tutor finished his slice of pizza and crossed his arms over his chest. "It's fun to watch, don't you think?"

Vincent finished his and answered Angeal's question. "I knew it would be. Why do you think I asked?"

* * *

**A/N**: A chap of friendship!

LTS: "What do you think of me now, Vince? I made you funny!"

Vincent: "You think that was funny?"

LTS: "Now seriously, what is your problem? I haven't done anything to deserve your coldness!"

Vincent: "You call me Vince."

LTS: "..."

Vincent: "..."

Yuffie: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** R&R and thanks for reading!"

LTS: "... Vince."

Vincent: "... I hate you."

CIH! 06/03/2010 Don't kill me yet! The next chaps will be longer! Promise!


	31. Girl talk: Girls

**A/N**: Chap 31.

LTS: "Almost 90 reviews!"

Kou: "..."

Zack: "Nice! The fridge is full!"

LTS: "Eat all you want! No, better yet, let's make a party with a banquet!"

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Thanks to all the reviewers!"

LTS: "And now, more girl talk!"

Zack: "More?"

LTS: "Yup, but this time is different, you'll see."

* * *

**Title**: Girl talk: Girls

..

It was midnight and the girls where in Tifa's bedroom trying to sleep. It had been a long day and Tifa was tired, but Yuffie and Aerith seemed to have another plan. Tifa was in the middle of the bed with Aerith to her left and Yuffie to her right.

Yuffie was the first to break the silence. "So, Tifa. What do you think about Spiky?"

"Spiky?" Tifa asked with her brows raised.

Yuffie sighed in frustration, was Tifa really that clueless? "You know; blond, blue-eyed-"

_'Cloud?'_ Tifa thought. Cloud was the only blue-eyed blond she knew of, but she decided to let Yuffie continue.

"short-"

"He's not short!" Tifa turned her head towards Yuffie with her brows furrowed.

"Okay, okay. He's not short..." He wasn't as tall as other guys, but he was still taller than Tifa.

"But now, seriously, what do you think about him?" Aerith inquired.

Tifa turned her eyes towards the ceiling again. _'What do I think of Cloud?'_ Tifa pondered on it before coming up with the safest answer. "He's... Nice?"

The other girls groaned.

Yuffie snarled at Tifa. "You're no fun!"

"That's not girl talk at all!" Aerith huffed.

"Okay..." Tifa sighed and tried to explain herself better. "He's nice." The girls glared at her. "Hey, let me finish! He's nice, and caring."

"And..." The girls prodded Tifa to continue.

"What do you two want me to say?"

Aerith smiled playfully at Tifa. "You like him?"

"What!" Tifa sat up and looked at Aerith.

"C'mon Tifa, we've all seen how he looks at you!" Yuffie shifted over on the bed to sit in front of Tifa.

"What!"

"And how you look at him..." Aerith winked at Tifa.

"WHAT?" Tifa's red face made the girls giggle. "You're both just making fun of me, aren't you?" She glared at her friends.

"Just a little, but now, seriously, he's starting to become even more overprotective than Zack." Aerith said, meaning every word of it.

Tifa bowed her head in thought. "Zack has always been like that, at least since we've been living together, but Cloud... I don't know why he cares so much. I mean, I appreciate it, but..."

"He's going to be just like Zack." Yuffie finished for Tifa, but Aerith corrected her.

"No, he'll never be like Zack." Yuffie looked at Tifa and nodded at Aerith to signify her agreement. Aerith continued. "Cloud seems to care about Tifa a lot, but they care for her for different reasons. Zack feels responsible for her, while Cloud's reasons are unknown for now, maybe we should ask him directly. Although, I'm sure he won't tell us."

Tifa pondered on it. _'They are different. Cloud didn't hide his fear while Zack denied it. Zack tried to protect me by ignoring the facts while Cloud tries to understand them. Zack promised to not let the monster appear while Cloud stood besides me when it happened. Even if he's scared, even if he's hurt, he stays with me...'_ Tifa's head snapped up and she bolted out of bed.

"Tifa?" The girls called after her as they tried to figure out what was wrong with her.

Once she opened the door to her bedroom, Tifa turned her head slightly and spoke over her shoulder. "I have to do something. Stay here until I come back." And with that, she darted out of the room.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 31.

Zack: "Hey! This way I look bad! I'm not a bad guy!"

LTS: "As I always said, in this story, you have your own reasons for acting this way."

Tifa: "And you aren't going to tell us, right?"

LTS: "Not yet."

Cloud: "I'd like to know who is my uncle."

LTS: "Not yet."

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 08/03/2010

Thanks to: **Amaranthos**, oodball167, **fantasydreamer94**, PeaceLovEr 12, **FinalFantasyFreak92**, Srtª Caroline, XxNights ' XheartsxX, absolutedisaster13, **sage**, Lauresh, **randomzzz,** -ladynatahsaeagleye-, **City of Dis**, SymphonyOfDestruction, **Draconic**, A Morning Star and **Gonkinator** you guys are awesome! And special thanks to 6jrz422 for beta-reading this.


	32. Girl talk: Boys

**A/N**: Chap 32.

LTS: "Punches and yells! This should be 'boy talk'."

Cloud: "Then why did you call it girl talk?"

LTS: "It's called 'girl talk: BOYS', so you can figure out they won't talk like the girls."

Zack: "Wait. You said punches?"

LTS: "Read to find out, I'm not saying anymore."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Wasn't I suppose to go somewhere in the last chap?"

* * *

**Title**: Girl talk: Boys

..

It was midnight and Cloud was in his room trying to sleep when a knock came from the other side of the door. Before he could reach it, the door opened and Vincent entered the room with Zack by his side. Vincent helped Zack sit on Cloud's bed before sitting besides Zack on the bed as well.

Cloud looked at them as they stared at him in return. He crossed his arms and dared to ask. "What-"

"What are you going to do now?" Zack's question left him puzzled.

"Well, if you want to sleep here so badly, then I suppose I'll take the couch downstairs-"

"This is not about sleeping or bed assignments, this is about Loz and Yazoo, about Tifa and her 'illness'." Vincent explained.

Cloud's eyebrows rose. "What are you..."

Zack took over explaining. "Look at me." Zack pointed towards his eye and then his body. "I've been lucky. Angeal found me before they could do anything more severe." He clasped his hands in front of him, his elbows resting on his knees. "If you stay here, they could do this to you."

Vincent crossed his arms over his chest and continued. "We talked with Angeal about this, and he agreed."

Cloud looked at them. "Agreed to what?"

"To let you move in to Vincent's house." Zack let the cat out of the bag.

"What?" Cloud's eyes widened.

Zack sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. "Look, this is for your own safety. It's been fun to have you here and all, but... But you don't deserve this. You've been thrown into a fight you don't even understand, much less belong in. This has been building up for a long time now and you've been thrown in the middle of it, but now that Hojo is in the scene too..." Zack shook his head and locked eyes with Cloud. The most serious expression to ever grace Zack's face replaced his usual carefree expression. "Cloud, you're just an innocent bystander."

Cloud's eyes narrowed. "Just an innocent bystander? I've been thrown into this? I don't belong? Sorry Zack, but I made my own place here. _I_ decided to get mixed into this. So I don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

Zack gritted his teeth and got up. "You just don't get it, do you! I'm trying to protect you!"

"I don't need you to protect me." Cloud's tone was low and serious and it made Zack yell at him. Zack grabbed a fistful of the front of Cloud's shirt and punched him in the face sending them both to the ground.

"You think I don't know that!" He punched him again. "You think I don't know how much of a good friend you are!" Vincent was trying to free Cloud from Zack's grasp, but he stopped and left the room when Zack looked down at Cloud and pulled him up by the collar of his shirt. When they were alone, Zack spoke in a hushed voice. "You helped even without knowing it. You've done more than anyone else would had." Cloud's eyes closed before he responded.

"Why are you doing all of this?" Zack had the feeling Cloud wasn't talking about punching him.

"Because she..." Zack shook his head. "When she needed me the most, I failed her. I don't want you to do the same." His grasp on Cloud's shirt loosened a bit. "She's still locked in that room, fearing the moment her father will come home and start beating her all over again." Cloud raised his head and opened his eyes, his gaze fixated on the ceiling. In his mind he could picture Tifa as a child, waiting in a corner in this same house and hugging her legs like every time she's scared or in pain. "She's letting you in." Cloud's mind turned back to the present. "Sephiroth told me what happened when you both returned here after all the commotion. He told me she was smiling, like the first day you both went shopping, the same way she smiles every time she's with you. And..." Zack took a shuddering breath, trying to control the rush of emotion. "And if you leave her too..." He shook his head and then locked eyes with Cloud once again. "That's why you have to leave now, before she puts anymore faith in you. I won't let you break her."

Cloud kept his eyes on Zack's and saw all of the pain, the care, the love, the regret and even the fear Zack felt for Tifa. "She was wrong." Zack blinked. "She said you're afraid of her, but you're afraid _for_ her." Cloud's eyes turned serious. "I won't hurt her Zack. I won't go away either. I don't know what happened to her in the past, and I still don't really know her. But I know her smiles, her cheerfulness, how she always tries to find a peaceful solution to the fights, and how she lets anyone hurt her in exchange for others' safety. And that's why I'm staying. Because I want to protect that too."

Silence fell upon the room. Zack let go of Cloud's shirt. His hands hurt from being clenched the entire time. Cloud's shirt was a wrinkled mess and his face was still sore from Zack's punches.

Zack shifted back to let Cloud sit. "Do you think..." Zack let out a breath and looked at Cloud. "Do you think you can bring her back?" Cloud looked at him. "I... I want the old Tifa back. The one you were talking about. I want to see _her_ smile again."

The corner of Cloud's mouth turned upwards and he extended his hand to Zack. "I'll try."

Zack smiled at him and they shook hands. "I trust you, Cloud."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 32.

LTS: "Before someone starts yelling at me, Tifa's and Vincent's destination will be known soon."

Cloud: "Zack owned me..."

LTS: "Zack OWNS you. You need a whole team to beat any monster while he made it until the end of Crisis Core alone AND carrying you."

Zack: "I knew I was your favourite character!" *hugs LTS*

LTS: "You are not." *Zack ignores LTS*

Cloud: "But I beat up Sephiroth three times _alone_."

LTS: "And that's why you are my favourite character. You can't beat more than one monster alone, but you can hand Sephiroth his own butt any time."

Cloud: "Thanks?"

LTS: "You're welcome. **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.** R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 09/03/2010


	33. Ice and Warmth

**A/N**: Chap 33!

Yuffie: "This time no one is going to stop me! I have a lot to say about this story-"

Cloud: *grabs Yuffie and tosses her through the window* "There."

Vincent: "Why did you do that?"

Cloud: "Lady said she'll leave me alone for a while in exchange."

Vincent: "You have a problem with LTS?"

Cloud: "And _you_ are asking me that?"

Vincent: "I don't have a problem with her, I just enjoy making her mad."

Cloud: "Yeah, me too."

LTS: "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.** Are both of you ignoring me or something?"

* * *

**Title**: Ice and Warmth

..

Tifa closed the door of her bedroom and turned towards Cloud's, she needed to talk to him. But before she could take a step towards it, the door opened and she nearly ran into Vincent.

"Vincent? What were you doing in Cloud's room?" Tifa blinked in surprise. All the eagerness to talk with Cloud had been forgotten upon the unexpected sight of Vincent.

"What are you doing in the middle of the corridor?" He closed the door and signaled for Tifa to follow him as he walked towards the stairs.

"I was going to talk with Cloud." Tifa said while she followed Vincent.

"In the middle of the night?" He asked her suspiciously.

She didn't mind the question, Tifa already knew how Vincent always tried to get on everyone's nerves. "I was talking with the girls and I remembered something."

"Remembered what?"

"Shouldn't you first tell me what you were doing in Cloud's bedroom in the middle of the night?"

They arrived at Vincent's destination, the kitchen. He opened the door, went to the fridge, and grabbed an ice-bag. "Zack wanted to talk with Cloud and I accompanied him."

"And the ice is for...?" She began to coax him for more details for a brief moment before her eyes widened as realization dawned upon her. "They didn't talk."

He nodded. "Right, your brother punched Cloud." Vincent turned and handed the ice to Tifa. "You're going to see them, right? Take this with you, Cloud will probably need it." He turned towards the door. "Aerith and Yuffie must be waiting for you."

"Yes, I told them to wait for me. I should go-" She went to the stairs, but Vincent stopped her.

"You go to Cloud's room and I'll talk with the girls." And with that, he climbed the stairs and knocked on Tifa's bedroom door.

Tifa followed him and then knocked on Cloud's bedroom door. After some muffled sounds, Cloud's voice sounded from the other side. "We are okay, Vincent."

She cleared her throat and replied. "... I'm Tifa."

..

"Tifa?" Zack and Cloud stared at each other in confusion. Zack got up with Cloud's help and grabbed the doorknob. "I'm going to my room, Tifa probably wants to talk with you, since this is your room and all." Zack half smiled at Cloud and opened the door. "Hey, Tifa."

She looked at them. "Vincent told me you punched Cloud." She narrowed her eyes at her brother.

Zack put his hands in front of him defensively. "Hey, it's not what you think! We were just-"

"Yeah, he punched me." Cloud rubbed his sore left cheek while Zack glared at him. "I just said my hair was better than his and he launched himself at me." Cloud smiled at Zack, who returned it.

"Everyone knows my hair is better!" Zack grinned. "And now as punishment for saying such a lie you're gonna to carry me to my room!"

..

When Cloud returned from Zack's room, he saw Tifa was still waiting for him in front of his door. "You could have waited inside. My room doesn't bite, you know?"

She smiled at him. "I know." Tifa handed him the ice. "You should use that."

He motioned to Tifa to enter his room with a nod. Once they were inside, he sat on the bed and Tifa sat on his left side. Cloud pressed the ice to his cheek and winced.

Tifa chuckled. "You're such a baby..." She took the ice-bag from his hand and pressed it carefully to his cheek. He could feel her warm hands in contrast with the cold ice. "Zack hits pretty hard, doesn't he? Your cheeks are pretty red." Cloud slowly nodded. "You won't tell me the truth about what happened?"

He looked at her and saw her frown. He couldn't tell her, at least not now. "Some other day?" Cloud locked eyes with her and held until she sighed and gave up.

"Okay." She smirked at him. "But as punishment, you're going to hold the ice yourself."

"First the punch and now the punishments, are you sure Zack isn't related to you?"

That made her laugh. "You are a bad man, you know?" Cloud joined the laughter.

..

When they were calm again, Cloud asked. "Why did you come to my room? Did Vincent called you?"

She shook her head. "No, I just... I need to say something to you." He waited, giving her time to explain.

Tifa bowed her head, her gaze locked on the floor while she talked. "Thank you." He looked at her and saw her fidgeting with the hem of her tank top. "… for… being there." She gathered some courage and nodded to herself. "Thank you for not running away, for staying by my side even when you're afraid. Thank you for being honest with me and yourself." Tifa took a shuddering breath, closed her eyes and smiled. "Thank you for being you."

Cloud removed the ice from his cheek. "Thank you for letting me in." Her eyes widened, but widened even more when he put the ice-bag on her bare lower-back. She bolted upright at the cold sensation and looked at him wide-eyed, all the while with a hand on her back where the ice had just been. "That's revenge for calling me a baby." He smiled innocently at her, and she couldn't help but think how cute he looked.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 33.

LTS: "Cloud, you are evil."

Cloud: "What?"

LTS: "It's cold!"

Cloud: "You made me do that."

LTS: "I'm talking about the window! You left it open!"

Cloud: "Oh! Sorry." *closes the window*

Yuffie: *from outside* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything!**"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 11/03/2010


	34. Dreams and Reality

**A/N**: Chap 34.

LTS: "Vince!"

Vincent: *enters the room* "..."

LTS: "Another hug."

Vincent: "No."

LTS: *sigh* "How about in exchange you won't have to do the disclaimer?"

Vincent: "...Deal."

-ladynatashaeagleye-: *hugs Vincent* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Vincent: *from -ladynatashaeagleye-'s arms* "You planned this beforehand..."

LTS: "Yup."

* * *

**Title**: Dreams and Reality.

..

Vincent knocked on the door of Tifa's bedroom. After some muffled sounds, the door finally opened.

"Valentine?" Aerith stood in front of him.

"Tifa isn't going to come back for a while." With that said, Vincent made to leave. He would have been successful if it weren't for Aerith tugging at the back of his shirt. He turned his head, his eyes silently questioning what she was doing.

"Why don't you come in?" Vincent's eyes widened and his pale cheeks gained a slight pink colour.

"I- I don't think that's appropriate."

That prompted Aerith to laugh. "Don't be silly!" She pushed Vincent inside the room. "See? There's nothing wrong with you keeping Yuffie company for a while." Yuffie got up at the mention of her name.

"Who was-" Her voice died in her throat at the sight of Vincent. "What are you...?"

"Well, I'll leave the two of you alone. I'm going to search for Tifa." Again, Aerith was leaving Yuffie alone with Vincent and giving her _the_ look. Aerith exited the room and went to the living room. She had a feeling Tifa would be with Cloud and she didn't want to disturb them, so she decided to watch some TV until everyone returned to their respective rooms.

"Where are you going?" Aerith was a step from the stairs when Zack's voice stopped her.

Aerith turned around and saw him leaning on the door frame of his bedroom door. "I was just going to the living room."

He smiled knowingly at her. "Giving Yuffie and Vincent some alone-time?" Her eyes widened in surprise. He knew about it too? Zack jerked his head towards his room. "Come inside, if they hear us, they'll probably want revenge or something." He winked at her making Aerith laugh softly.

..

"It's the second time in a single day that Aerith left us alone thinking I wouldn't notice." Vincent stood between Yuffie and the door, exactly where Aerith had left him before she left the two of them alone. "Why is she doing it?"

Yuffie sat on the bed and bowed her head, avoiding his eyes. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to..." After some awkward moments, she felt the bed shift on her right. He sat by her side on the bed, his face towards the door in front of them.

"I didn't say I didn't want to be here." Yuffie spared a glance at his face. He was looking straight ahead, his face serious. "I just don't know why we don't talk when we're not alone."

"I don't know..."

"We should talk about this." Silence fell over them.

After a long awkward moment, Yuffie composed herself and gathered some courage to ask. "Do you... Are you interested in someone?" If she was going to try something with him, she at least needed to know if he had a girlfriend.

"I don't have a girlfriend if that's what you're implying, but you are an interesting woman."

Her eyes widened. "What?" It was the first time someone had referred to her as a 'woman', and since it happened to be said by Vincent, it was as if her dreamworld had become reality.

"You are always trying to cheer up everyone, in that sense you remind me of Tifa a lot. But you aren't feminine like her." Yuffie felt her throat close. Did he like Tifa? Why else would he be talking so much about her? And was he calling her a boy? Didn't he just tell her she was a woman? "You always wear that male school uniform that make you look like a boy."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're rude, you know?" That made him turn his eyes to look at her.

Vincent smiled at her. "But your hips and legs look sensual when you wear that tight uniform." Yuffie could feel the blush creeping up her cheeks and it made her turn her head away. Did he really think that? "And the shirt looks so big on you, it makes you seem small and fragile. But in contrast, your eyes have a strong intensity. They scream woman, not girl. Your femininity is soft and delicate, but your personality is strong and determined."

Yuffie's cheeks were red by the time he stopped talking. "You seem to have noticed a lot about me." Her voice was weak and shook a little, but not as bad as she thought it would.

"Maybe, but not enough." She looked at him again. "We haven't talked more than three times since we've known each other. And you don't seem very eager to talk to me when we're not alone, but I like you, and I'd like to be able to be around you more often."

When the meaning of Vincent's words dawned upon her, her eyes widened. "You mean... Like a date?" Vincent nodded his response. "Why?"

"The day I found you crying was the final straw." He brushed her hair away from her face and locked eyes with her. "I've always been watching you. Since we started high school I always thought you were interesting. Everyday I tried to get to know you better, to discover why you always smile at everyone, why you always give so much happiness to everyone without asking for anything in return. But then I saw you crying." He brushed his thumb over her cheek. "And you looked so human... So true... So vulnerable." He put his arms around her, embracing her. "Yuffie, you are unique."

Yuffie returned the embrace. Her mind and her heart were racing with a thousand thoughts and feelings. Vincent was hugging her. Her crush had asked her on a date. Vincent Valentine had said beautiful things about her. "I thought..." Yuffie's voice sounded strained, betraying the effort of keeping all the emotions caused by his words inside. "I've always thought you never had a good word to say about me..." She chuckled. "Although, I've always had a crush on you."

Vincent rubbed invisible circles on her back, trying to calm her. "That's why Aerith is always trying to leave us alone? She knew it, right?"

She poked him in the ribs. "Of course she knew it! She's my best friend!" Yuffie looked up at him and smiled. "I really like you, Vincent."

He returned the smile, making his eyes soften. "I really like you, Yuffie."

The next minutes were utter bliss, Yuffie remained in Vincent's arms enjoying the moment, however long it would last. "So, Vincent..." He looked down at her to see her smile playfully. "Where are you going to take me for that date?"

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 34.

-ladynatashaeagleye-: *lets go of Vincent* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *exits the room*

LTS: "See? It wasn't that hard."

Vincent: "Why does everyone want to hug me?"

LTS: "I don't know. Personally, I would prefer a hug from Cloud."

Cloud: *hugs LTS* "There."

LTS: *blush* "Cloud..." *faints*

Tifa: "She fainted..."

Cloud: "Lady? Are you alright?"

Vincent: "R&R thanks for reading and I'm _not_ a teddy bear."

LTS: *still fainted* "... Hugs..."

CIH! 15/03/2010 I hope the Yuffientine was okay...


	35. Fun and Duty

**A/N**: Chap 35.

LTS: "If you can guess why this chap has this title I'll give you something to eat."

Zack: "This one is about me and Aerith, right?"

LTS: "How did you know?"

Zack: "I'm the duty."

LTS: "And the fun?"

Zack: "Aerith."

LTS: "You think she's fun?"

Zack: "I have fun times with her."

LTS: "I see..."

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "... Okay, here's your cookie. Congratulations."

* * *

**Title**: Fun and Duty.

..

"I'm fine, I'm not even tired! I've been in that bed the entire day! I can stay up for a while…"

Ever since Aerith followed Zack to his room, she began trying to get him to rest. "No you can't. Do you want to see Tifa yelling at me for letting you stay up?"

When Zack finally gave up and got under the covers with a sigh, she sat on a chair by Zack's bed and asked. "How did you know Yuffie has a crush on Vincent?"

His eyebrows shot up in surprise. "What?"

Aerith clamped her hand over her mouth and her eyes widened. "I thought you knew... You said..."

"Vincent has a crush on Yuffie."

"What!" Now it was Aerith's turn to be surprised.

Zack chuckled. "I guess they're going to figure it out soon, and, thanks to the privacy you gave them, I think it might be tonight."

"I hope you're right..." Aerith thought about her friend, Yuffie was always cheerful and full of energy about everything, but when the subject turned to Valentine... It was in those moments when one could see her heart.

Zack avoided her eyes. "Can I ask you something?"

Aerith looked at him questioningly and answered tentatively. "Sure?"

"What do you think about Cloud?"

Aerith laughed softly. "Oh, I see. It's gossip time, huh?" She tapped her finger on her cheek while she thought about it. "He's nice...?" Aerith bust out laughing while Zack looked at her as if she sprouted a second head.

"What is it?" Zack stared at the girl as she tired to regain control of her breathing.

"Nothing, it's just... Yuffie and I just asked the same question to Tifa, and she told us the same answer. I suppose it's hard to describe Cloud with words." Zack nodded, completely understanding what she meant.

"Yeah, he's strange, but not in a bad way. He's a good guy." Aerith nodded her agreement. "Do you think he'd be able to take care of Tifa?"

"I think he's already doing it." She recalled all the times Cloud had protected Tifa already, protected her from both words and herself. "He was the one who convinced her to rest, and the only one who noticed when she was in pain, even if she was trying to hide it."

"What do you think of me?"

Aerith was startled at the sudden change of subject, and it took a few seconds for her to understand the question. "You're overprotective with Tifa, but you're a good big brother. You're always nice to everyone, unless they're mean to someone you love. You are... Nice?" She smiled playfully at him, prompting a grin from Zack's lips.

"I'm hard to describe too, huh?" They laughed.

"You're like a colourful delicate flower." Aerith's laughter stopped and she stared at him. "You are soft and delicate, and you always have a smile for those who need it. I wanted to thank you again for what you did earlier."

Aerith could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks, but she ignored it and decided to try to tease him a little. "What, embarrass myself by crying in front of you? You're welcome. You even made fun of me!"

"Your face was funny." He smirked. She grabbed a plushy from the bed and tossed it at him, but that only made his smirk transform into a grin while she stared at him and cocked her head. Zack was confused to Aerith's sudden change in behavior. "What?"

"You have a plushy on your bed?"

"You didn't noticed it until you tossed it?"

Aerith shrugged with a smile. "I just grabbed the first thing I found nearby."

He made a face. "So if the first thing was a knife I would be dead right now?"

"Who knows? You better not test me while we're near the kitchen." She said teasingly.

"You are a dangerous girl." Zack smirked again.

"And you are a BTSAF kind of man."

"A what?"

"Better to stay away from." Aerith said in a serious tone.

Zack put a hand over his heart, mocking hurt. "You don't seriously think that, do you?"

"No, but you _are_ really strange." She grabbed the plushy she had just tossed at him. "When I first saw you, I thought you would be flirty, you know... The ladies man. But now I think we have more in common than I thought."

"Yeah, you definitively like to tease, too..." That made her toss the plushy at him again. "Hey!"

"Why do you have a plushy on your bed?" She stared at it, the little puppy plushy had a black body and was in a resting position. It had a chain around its neck.

"It was a gift from Tifa." Zack picked it up and stared at it while his smile grew wider and warmer at whatever memories the little thing was awakening. "It was the first thing she bought with her first paycheck."

"How old was she?"

"Fourteen. The week before I bought her a plushy cat, and I told Tifa I loved her. Needless to say, the rest of the week was the most awkward time of my life, I even went as far as to hide in my bedroom and lock the door... She didn't feel the same way, but she didn't wanted to break my heart, she just said 'thank you'." He dislodged the chain from the plush's neck and twisted it in his hand. "The following week, she kicked open my door and grabbed me by the arm. 'You're going to come with me, and you better stop hiding, because I'll find you. I won't let you break our friendship.' She pulled me out of the room and we went to the nearest shop, she entered and exited before I could tell what was happening and handed me a box. 'I didn't have enough to get it gift wrapped, but I hope you like it.' She had that shy smile on her face. Later, the owner of the shop told me Tifa had been working there to buy the plushy and the dog tag." Zack tossed it to Aerith and she turned it over to read the inscription.

_To my brother.  
'I'm with you.'  
-Tifa Fair._

"You still love her?" Aerith was still staring at the dog tag in her hands.

"No, and I don't think I was ever really in love with her. When I saw the present, I realized my love for her was more affectionate than passionate, the same as how she felt for me. And a few weeks ago, I've realized I'll never see her as a woman, for me she's my little girl." He chuckled. "I suppose Vince was right when he said I sound like a protective father."

Aerith returned the dog tag to Zack and saw him flinch. "What?"

"I don't know why I told you all of that. I... I've never told any of that to anyone."

She smiled and leaned forward. "Is it really so bad that you trusted me enough to tell me?"

Zack shook his head and grinned. "I suppose not." They were in a comfortable silence, until Zack asked again. "Can I ask you something?"

This time, Aerith felt more comfortable around him, and now, the answer was accompanied by a sweet smile. "Of course."

"Do you have a boyfriend?" With that, the sweet smile on her face disappeared and her eyes widened. When he saw the change of her expression, he hurried to explain himself better. "I'm just curious, it's okay if you don't want to answer, sorry for being nosy-"

"I don't." Zack was cut off by her response. "I don't have a boyfriend." She smiled at him and Zack realized the girl in front of him was special, and he felt the need to know her better. "And you?"

But that didn't diminish his playful side. He leaned forward towards her and motioned to her with his hand to lean closer. When she was within easy reach, he whispered in her ear. "Sorry, I only date ladies, no boyfriends for Zack." That made her laugh and she playfully shoved him away.

"Oh, you..." They laughed for some time before Zack finally answered the question.

"No, I don't have any girlfriend, I haven't thought about having one since that day with Tifa."

"You regret it?" At his puzzled look, she explained further. "Telling her that you love her."

Zack shook his head. "No; never. Since that day we've been much closer, and it's a very special memory for me."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 35.

LTS: "Well, Yuffie and Vincent are dating now, Aerith and Zack are getting to know each other and Cloud and Tifa are spending quality time together."

Cloud: "What's that supposed to mean?"

Zack: "So, the reason I acted that way towards Tifa is because I'm a loving brother?"

LTS: "No."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 16/03/2010


	36. Plan: Act one

**A/N**: Chap 36.

LTS: "That was a long night... But finally, a week has past and Zack and Tifa are healed!"

Zack: "And my bike?"

LTS: "I'll make you buy another in the upcoming chaps, okay?"

Zack: "The same one?"

LTS: "The one you choose."

Cloud: "I think you're spoiling him."

LTS: "The day your Fenrir is destroyed and then you get beat up by five guys, you can have a say in this. For now, Zack can have whatever he wants."

Zack: "Really! I want you to bring Aerith here!"

Aerith: *pops out of nowhere* "Zack!" *kissing*

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Lady? Are you okay?"

LTS: *rocking back and forth* "No more pink, no more pink, no more pink..."

* * *

**Title**: Plan, act one: Only girls allowed.

..

A week past since the night everyone began coming together. Zack and Tifa's wounds had completely healed and they could finally go to school again. After Tifa's delicious breakfast and the first three classes, it was break time.

Zack, Tifa, Cloud and Aerith were in their secret hangout, the emergency stairwell, when Tifa felt someone's hand on her shoulder. "Found you." They turned around to see Cissnei smiling at them. "It's about time you two came back, Cloud and Aerith told us some story about you two being injured..."

The group made room for Cissnei. "Yeah, Zack and I had a traffic accident. But we're okay now." Tifa said while smiling back at the redhead.

"Reno has been trying to get some information about Lazard's sons, but the only thing he has discovered is that they have a third brother."

Zack groaned. "Another one? Man, I thought two were bad, but three is going to be a nightmare!"

"As I said before, we just have to wait until this year ends. Then there'll be no Sephiroth, and more importantly no crazy brothers. Just three more weeks and everything will be over."

They relaxed a little upon hearing Cissnei's words, three more weeks and everything would be back to normal. "And what about this third brother?" Cloud asked, making Zack groan again.

"You can't just shut up, huh?" Cloud shrugged. "But I suppose you're right." Zack turned his attention towards Cissnei again. "Is he here, or is he in a '_far away'_ place?" He said those two words hopefully.

"I don't know." Cissnei said with an apologetic look on her face. "Reno was the one who found out they had a third brother, and I don't think he knows anything more than that."

Tifa looked around. Something was missing. "Where's Reno?"

"He's coming, he had a call from our mother."

"Cissnei." Everyone turned towards the voice and saw Reno had snuck up on them, his hands were in his pockets. "We have a problem, yo."

"What is it?" Cissnei got up, waiting for her brother to reply.

"Mom says we're alone."

"Genesis convinced them?"

"Yeah, but mom and pops are going with him."

Aerith put a hand on Cissnei's shoulder. "Something wrong?"

She sighed in frustration and explained to everyone what happened. "Genesis wants to go to Modeoheim this summer break, but we want to go to the beach. It seems Genesis won out." Cissnei crossed her arms over her chest and breathed deeply. "Our parents have a vacation house in Costa del Sol, but we can't go alone because our parents don't think Reno is too much for me to handle."

"Are you kidding me!" Yuffie's piercing voice made everyone wince.

Aerith laughed. "I see you're back. And alone... Where's Valentine?"

"He's in the library, but we're not talking about me." Yuffie turned and strode over to stand in front of Cissnei. "You have a house on the beach and you're going to let it go to waste?"

"It's not my decision, Genesis is the one who's obsessed with Modeoheim."

"But you're an adult! You don't need to stick with your parents the whole three months of the break, right?"

Cissnei smirked at Yuffie. "And why are you so interested in me and my brother going to Costa del Sol?"

"Well, you know!" Yuffie bounced on her toes. "We could accompany you and Reno! A great three months of being all together in the same house, without anyone to disturb us in Costa del Sol! I've always wanted to go to the beach." Her voice was dreamy and her eyes sparkled in excitement. Cissnei was taken aback at Yuffie's words.

"All of us?" Aerith voiced everyone's thoughts.

"You, me, Vincent, Tifa, Zack and Cloud!" Yuffie exclaimed. "Everyone!"

"The problem is mom's trust, right?" Everyone turned to Reno. "Maybe if we tell them you won't be the only girl bossing me, she'll let us go, yo."

"You really think mom will be okay with us inviting six friends stay in our vacation house-" Cissnei turned to Tifa. "No offense."

Tifa knew what she meant and responded quickly. "None taken."

Cissnei turned towards Reno again. "-But not when it's just the two of us?"

Reno smirked. "I didn't say anything about six friends. I was only talking about the girls, yo."

Cissnei's eyes widened in realization. "Oh! That could work..."

"What could work?" Yuffie butted into the conversation.

Cissnei smiled at her. "If my mother thinks I've invited a bunch of girls, she won't be worried about Reno getting wasted or something. I'm sure she'll let us go as long as Reno is the only boy in the house."

"... Uh..." Everyone turned to Tifa this time. "Thanks for the offer... But I won't go."

"Why!" Yuffie shrieked, making everyone wince for the second time. Now that they had a plan to make this vacations the best vacations ever, Tifa didn't want to come along?

"I'd rather stay home if boys aren't allowed. I don't want to leave my brother here while I'm on the beach."

"It's okay Tifa, I'll go stay with my parents in Gongaga. Go with them and have fun!" Zack grinned at Tifa, encouraging her to have fun, even if it was without him.

Tifa thought about it. It would be fun to be with the girls, but she didn't want to leave because... She looked to her right.

Cloud.

She knew he was alone. His parents died, and he wasn't very fond of the rest of his family, so if she left for Costa del Sol and Zack went to Gongaga, Cloud would be all alone.

"Are you in there? Gaia to Tifa, anyone respond!" She snapped from her thoughts to see Yuffie waving a hand in front of her face. "What's so interesting about Cloud to have you staring at him like a hawk?" Satisfied by Tifa's and Cloud's blush, Yuffie laughed.

"We were saying there's no need for Zack not to come with us." Cissnei explained to Tifa. "My parents didn't put cameras or anything in the house, so they wouldn't know if there were boys or not. The only thing we need is you, Aerith and Yuffie to meet my mother, and if she gives us the green light -and the keys of the house-, then we can bring Cloud, Zack and Vincent without them knowing it."

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 36.

LTS: "In the next chap we'll meet Mr. and Mrs. Rapsodos!"

Cissnei: "We'll know who our parents are?"

Reno: "I don't think I want to know..."

Genesis: "I do want to know."

LTS: "And why is that?"

Genesis: "The knowledge is a powerful weapon."

LTS: "Okay...?"

Cissnei: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Reno: "R&R and thanks for reading, yo."

CIH! 19/03/2010


	37. Plan: Act two

**A/N**: Chap 37.

LTS: "Zack?"

Zack: "You called?"

LTS: "No new bike, sorry."

Zack: "Why? You said I'd buy one! I want the best one! One better than Fenrir!"

Cloud: "Hey!"

LTS: "You'll get a new bike, but you won't buy it."

Zack: "So, I'll get it for free?"

LTS: "Something like that."

Zack: "Take that, Cloud!"

Cloud: "That's not fair, I had to pay a lot to build my Fenrir."

Tifa: "How much?"

Cloud: "... **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Tifa: "I told you, I'll decide if I'm mad after hearing it. Now, how much?"

* * *

**Title**: Plan, act two: Meeting Cissnei's parents.

..

It was Saturday. Today Cissnei, Aerith, Yuffie and Tifa would start 'Operation: Beach' as Yuffie named it. Tifa wore her most 'I'm a good girl' dress and herself up with a thin jacket. She had to admit she looked like one of those porcelain dolls in the dress, but it served its purpose. It attracted 'wow's' and 'how cut's' from Zack's mother when she wore it, and that was exactly the reaction Cissnei wanted from her own mother.

Tifa was waiting in the living room, watching the TV, when Zack and Cloud entered the room.

"Today's the big day, huh?" Zack grinned and sat on her right.

"Yeah, Cissnei is going to pick us up with her car. She wants to inspect how we look before her mother sees us." She fidgeted with the hem of her thin jacket, smoothing non-existent creases.

"Nervous?" Zack asked with a smile on his face while Cloud sat on the armchair and kept silent.

"Maybe a little." Tifa admitted as she pressed her hand harder against the fabric.

"Relax." Zack took her hands into his own. "That dress has a special effect on mothers, I'm sure she'll like you right away. I'll be more worried about what will happen with Yuffie ."

Tifa let out a small laugh. "You're right."

Just then, Angeal entered the room. "Cissnei is waiting outside." Tifa nodded and after saying goodbye, she left.

Zack turned towards Cloud and his eyes narrowed. "Why didn't you say anything? She needed-" Zack stopped in mid-sentence upon seeing Cloud's face. "I suppose the dress affects more than just mothers." Cloud's red face reddened even more.

"It's not- I mean-" Cloud stumbled over the words trying to explain himself, but he stopped when he saw his friend smiling knowingly and decided to let out all of his frustration in one long sigh. "Zack..."

..

Tifa approached Cissnei who was staring at her. "What?"

"Perfect!" Cissnei cheered happily and took Tifa's hand. "I'm starting to believe this is going to work after all."

Tifa let herself be pulled towards the car by the redhead. "You didn't believe in your own plan?"

"In case you've forgotten, this is Reno's plan. Maybe you didn't noticed because you where too busy gawking at Cloud, but my brother was the one who made the plan, and even he seemed eager." Cissnei stopped and cocked her head. "Why was he so eager to spend his party time with us?"

"Cissnei?" The redhead's mood swings were finally starting to bother Tifa.

"We're good friends, but Reno has lots of other friends… Why did he want for all of us to go together to the beach house so badly?" When Cissnei realized she had been voicing her thoughts outloud, she took Tifa by the arm and went to her car once again. "Come on, Aerith and Yuffie are already waiting in the car."

Tifa glanced at Cissnei. "Are you okay?"

She turned her head towards Tifa without stopping. "I'm fine, I just want to get this over with and ask Reno some questions."

They finally arrived to the car and climbed in.

"Hi girls." Tifa greeted cheerfully.

"How cute!"

The unanimous opinions of her friends made Tifa smile. Even if it wasn't from Mrs. Rapsodos, at least she was getting the desired reaction.

..

"Zack, what?" Zack cooed with a cheeky grin.

"She's your sister, right?" Cloud's voice was muffled by his hands while he rubbed them over his face. Even if he couldn't see him, Cloud knew Zack had nodded. "Then why are you implying that?"

"I didn't imply anything bad, I just think Tifa looks cute in that dress." Zack's tone was serious now. "What were you thinking about, Strife?"

Cloud looked at him from between his fingers and saw Zack's serious expression. "I was thinking she's cute too, but the way you said about the effect-"

"You said it!"

Cloud's hands fell from his face. "What?"

Zack grinned. "You said Tifa's cute."

"What?" Cloud's cheeks turned pink. "I didn't-"

"You said it! I can't believe it worked!"

Cloud's blush vanished at Zack's strange words. "What worked?"

"Aerith taught me that trick to make you say what you're thinking. She says it works on almost everyone." Upon seeing Cloud's beet-red face, Zack decided to drop the teasing for a little bit, he got up and grabbed his wallet. "Care to join me?"

"What?" Cloud was starting to feel like he did in the first couple weeks of living with Zack and Tifa. Utterly confused.

"Don't worry, I won't tease you again for now." Zack said while pocketing his keys and his cell phone. "I'm going to Gongaga, to my parents' house. My father had a nice bike there, and I don't think he uses it, so I'm going to borrow it until I can buy a new one. The train ride is going to be a long one, but if you want to come then we can take your bike, Fenrir, that would be much faster." Zack turned around with his hands on his hips and leaned forward while grinning at Cloud. "So... You want to meet Mr and Mrs Fair?"

..

"Welcome to our home, ladies." A woman with red hair opened the door for Tifa and the girls. "These are the three you told me about, dear?" The woman turned her gaze towards her daughter.

"Yes mom, we wanted to borrow the beach house for summer break." Cissnei spoke to her mother with a small smile on her face.

"Not here sweetheart, come in, ladies, so we can meet each other properly." The caring mother opened the door wide to let the youth enter her home. "Can you wait over there?" She pointed to a room with couches and a TV, which Tifa guessed would be the living room. "I need to warn my husband about your visit." The red-headed woman knocked on a door on their right and disappeared inside while Cissnei told the girls to sit on the couches and wait while she got them something to drink.

Once Cissnei was out of earshot, the gossip began. Yuffie was the first one to ask the question on all three of the girls' minds. "What do you think about Cissnei's mother?"

Aerith tapped her chin with her finger in thought. "She's very sweet, but she looked nervous."

Tifa nodded in agreement. "She seems really nice, but she seems a little unsure..."

"Are we talking about the same person?" Yuffie asked a little annoyed. "I don't think she was nervous, she was really nice and she seems very confident."

Aerith smoothed her pink dress out while she talked to Yuffie. "Didn't you see her fidget? She's kept adjusting her glasses, even if she didn't need to. She probably did it because she was distressed."

..

"Who's gonna drive?" Asked Zack while Cloud grabbed the keys to Fenrir.

Cloud answered with a smirk. "I'll drive, it's my bike after all..."

"Like you know how to get to Gongaga." Zack crossed his arms and smirked too.

"I'm a delivery boy, remember? I know how to get almost anywhere." Cloud knew he had won and opened the front door to the house. Zack followed at his heels, but he hadn't marked this one as a lost just yet.

"Yeah, the same delivery boy who has a crush on my sister." Cloud stopped dead in his tracks and his eyes widened while his blush turned from pink to crimson.

_'WHAT!'_ The blond's brain kept repeating the same word over and over. "I don't-" He stopped when he saw Zack sitting on Fenrir with the engine already on. The blond had been in so much of a shock he hadn't even realized when Zack took the keys from his hand.

"Are you going to get on or do I have to help you, Cute Blush?"

"WHAT?" This time the word didn't stay in his mind but was blurted out. It made Zack grin.

"C'mon! It's a nice nickname, don't you think? Or do you prefer Chocobo Head?"

The blond made a face at the chocobo reference before replying tersely. "I prefer Cloud."

That made Zack pout. "You're no fun at all..."

..

"Sorry about the wait ladies." Cissnei's mother took a seat to the left of her daughter. "I'll introduce myself, I'm-"

"-Where's my damn tool box!" The woman turned around and faced a man with blond, almost grey, hair and sighed.

"It's in the garage, as always. And I just told you we have visitors, so watch your language, please."

The man looked at their guests. "Who are those girls?"

Cissnei stood up and took her father's arm, making him sit where she had been. "Mom, dad, these are my friends. I know them from school, they're younger than I am, but they all have more brain than Reno." Cissnei stopped. That didn't come out right. She turned to her friends. "No offense."

"None taken." The girls said in unison.

"Why are they here?" Cissnei's father lighted a cigarette while he asked, but the older woman took it away and buried it in the already overfilled ashtray before he could even taste it.

At her husband's face, Mrs. Rapsodos narrowed her eyes at him. "The doc said no more than three cigarettes a day, and you already had five." She turned to her guests again, leaving Mr. Rapsodos huffing and mumbling beneath his breath. "I'm Shera Highwind Rapsodos, and this chain-smoker here is my beloved husband."

"I have a name besides chain-smoker or foul-tongued." The words where directed to his wife, but they were supplied with a small smile. He turned to the girls with a neutral face. "Cid Highwind here."

Yuffie smiled cheerfully at the more comfortable environment. "I'm Yuffie Kisaragi."

Cid looked at Yuffie and raised an eyebrow. "A Kisaragi? From Wutai? What the-" Shera's slap to his arm stopped Cid from finishing his exclamation. He instead turned it into a less offensive statement. "-is a member of the royal Kisaragi family of Wutai doing in Nibelheim?"

"Wait." Yuffie got up and approached Cid until their noses were only an inch apart. "I'm sure I know you from somewhere..." Her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "That's it!" She chirped. "You're that gruff old man that always made something wrong!"

"Watch your tongue, you-" Cid's eyes widened in recognition. "You're that little brat who always got in trouble!" They pointed at each other with wide eyes.

Cissnei shook her head. "This isn't going well..."

"Come here, you brat!"

"Come here, you old man!" They said it at the same time and a second later, Yuffie was in Cid's arms.

Tifa and Cissnei looked at each other while Shera shook her head.

"So this is the one, huh?"

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 37.

LTS: "Please! Don't kill me!"

Cloud: "What have you done? Their surnames don't match. It should be Cissnei Highwind."

LTS: "... It's a long story..."

Tifa: "Well, tell us!"

LTS: "... The story is... In my country one can choose if their kids will have the mother or the father's surname in first place, so I made it work for Nibelheim too."

Zack: "That's for the sake of a girl's surname, so her kids can spread her family's name, right?"

LTS: "Yup. I'm glad someone understands me!"

Cloud: "You're going to use that for everyone?"

LTS: "No, the only one who has the surnames reversed is the Rapsodos kids."

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading!"

CIH! 22/03/2010


	38. Parents

**A/N**: Chap 38.

LTS: "Warning! Read this one slowly. Let the information sink in, because this is an important chapter for Cloud's story."

Cloud: "We'll finally know something about me?"

LTS: "Yup."

Zack: "And what about me?"

LTS: "You'll see."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Thanks Teef. We haven't talked much lately, huh?"

* * *

**Title**: Parents.

..

"Mom?" Cissnei turned to Shera, her eyes silently questioning what her father was doing.

The older woman kept shaking her head while a small smile crossed her lips. "It's been ten years since your father last saw Yuffie."

"They know each other from somewhere?"

Shera nodded in affirmation to her daughter's question. "Remember when he left when you were little? He went on a business journey to Wutai. They wanted someone who could fix a special mechanical door, so they hired your father. He had to stay there for three months, but the pay was great, and he made a little friend." She looked at her husband and smiled wider. "As Yuffie said, your father was always getting into trouble, you already know how he is, but this girl was just like him, every time he did something wrong, this little girl appeared and took the heat off of him by doing something even worse. She was someone important, so no one said anything about her actions."

Cid and Yuffie finally let go of each other and the older man grinned at the short girl. "I knew you had to be someone important, but I never thought that little brat would be a royal kid!"

Yuffie put her hands on her hips and grinned too. "I'm more than a royal kid, I'm Godo's daughter!"

"Godo's kid! You're the princess of Wutai!" Cid's eyes widened in bewilderment while she nodded enthusiastically.

Cissnei realized that Yuffie and Cid could spend all night reminiscing, so she decided to get to the point of her friends' visit. "Mom, dad, I wanted to ask you something."

Shera turned to her daughter. "Oh, but your friends haven't introduced themselves yet."

"Oh, I'm Aerith Gast, nice to meet you." Aerith smiled warmly.

Tifa tried to calm herself down before talking. She had never felt comfortable around adults, probably because of her past. She still had problems talking to Zack's parents and once he noticed, Zack was always by her side when she needed to say something to them. But now she was alone. Tifa drew in a deep breath, tried to smile, and bowed her head in greeting. "... I'm Tifa Lockhart."

Shera looked at her and then her cheeks turned pink. "... How cute..."

Tifa's smile spread across her entire face. The dress never failed when she needed it.

.

Cloud and Zack pulled to a stop to rest a little from the traveling. It had been two hours since they had crossed Cosmo Canyon, so they both knew that there was only another hour or so more of their journey before they reached their destination.

"You aren't going to tell me anything about your parents?" Cloud asked while they drank some water they had bought from Cosmo Canyon, two hours ago.

"Well, I suppose I should." Zack leaned on the bike on Cloud's right. "My father is from Midgar and my mother is from Junon." With that said, Zack sat on the floor and kept drinking his water, apparently finished with his explanation. Cloud narrowed his eyes to glare at him, silently questioning if that was all Zack intended to share.

Feeling Cloud's eyes burning holes in the left side of his face, he sighed in resignation and explained himself. "Look, my family is a little strange. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but not many people can understand us." He paused and raised his head to gaze upon the sky. "I'm not living with my real mother anymore. She despised me, she never intended to be a mother, nor tied down to any single man." Zack paused as he tried to gather his confidence relating his depressing past. "I was an accident, an unwanted nuisance as far as my real mother was concerned. She didn't love me nor my father. I guess you could also say that neither I nor my father loved her either. It seemed to be her new purpose in life after I was born to make sure my life was a living hell. My father noticed and tried to protect me from her, but he had to work to support me. That left me at her mercy for long periods almost every day."

Zack took another deep breath before he continued. His angry expression from talking about his real mother began to fade as he related his current situation to Cloud. "But that's changed now. We were in Gongaga when my father met a much nicer woman, I was three years old. My father and the woman decided to get married. After the marriage, it was fairly easy to persuade my real mother to give up custody of me to the new Mr. and Mrs. Fair, she hated me anyway. I found out later it wasn't exactly love that bonded my father and new mother together, but, at least it made my real mother leave my father and I alone." Zack chuckled humourlessly. "They moved to Nibelheim and bought a house there, that's how I met Tifa and my parents met hers."

Cloud nodded in understanding and decided to change the subject to something less grim. "How old were you when you came to Nibelheim?"

"Five years old. When my father and new mother married, my real mother left the town. So my parents and I lived in that house for two years before we moved to Nibelheim. They thought it would do some good for me to get away from that place, so they went to Nibelheim. It was a quiet place, so they wouldn't have trouble with the strange marriage and the bastard kid." Zack paused and looked at Cloud, he was looking towards the sky, just like he had a moment ago. "You said you're from Nibelheim, right? How old were you when you left?"

"I was four." Cloud's gaze fell from the sky and settled off in the distance. "My parents died and my _uncle_" The word was hissed between clenched teeth. "took me to his house in Midgar. I've always hated him. He was the one responsible for my parents death." His eyes closed. "My uncle hated my father for marrying his sister and impregnating her, but he 'cared' for my mother, so he offered my father a job in his company so he could take care of his family. The true reason for the job offering was for my mother to divorce my father. The job was awful, the income ridiculous, and the schedule was absurd. He never had time for us, even if he tried his best. One day, my uncle called my father to go to work in the middle of a snow storm, my father and my mother kept telling him it was dangerous, but he didn't care, he just said my father was just avoiding his responsibility as the man of the house and he had to work to maintain his sister's family. He knew how to push my father's buttons to make him do whatever he wanted, and he got what he wanted. My father took his car and left the house. The next day he was found dead in a car accident because of the ice on the road."

Zack put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sorry."

Cloud shook his head and continued. "What my uncle wasn't expecting, was for my mother to go searching for my father." He paused and Zack squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. "My father was late and my mother went to look for him. His workmates said he had already left and she was worried, so after she made sure I was asleep, she left to search for him." Zack took his hand away and closed his eyes. "When I woke up, my whole family was in my house. The news anchor said a driver had lost control of his car due to the ice on the pavement and had knocked down a female pedestrian. They were both dead. They said the man had died in the act, but the woman died from blood-loss." Cloud's hands turned into fists. "When the rest of my family explained to me what happened my uncle just laughed and said my mother was stupid. I didn't understand what was happening, but I knew he had insulted my mother, so I ran at him ready to make him pay, but my cousin stopped me and punched my uncle for me. He was four years older than me, and he was the one who told me what had happened when I was old enough to understand. He and his younger brother were the only ones who cared for me in Midgar. When they offered to let me return to Nibelheim, to my old house, I said goodbye and left, never to come back."

Zack and Cloud stood in silence, feeling better after getting their pasts off their chests. "Looks like we all have had troubled pasts, huh?" Zack got up and mounted Fenrir. "Well, we still have an hour of traveling to get to Gongaga. You want to share more of our depressing pasts, or do you want to skip the sad part and go to the one where you met my awesome mother?" Zack grinned, trying to make Cloud feel better.

Cloud got up and smiled a little. "I'll take the latter."

..

"Are you kidding me! How could I refuse the royal princess of Wutai?" Cid said while ruffling Yuffie's hair.

"So does that mean we can use the beach house over summer break?" Cissnei asked uncertainly.

Shera nodded. "Yes, but you know the rules, right?"

Cissnei held up a hand and recited them as a motto. "No boys allowed, no crazy parties, watch out for Reno, and call if anything happens."

"Well, then I trust you to leave the house as it is. Your uncle is taking care of it, so he wouldn't appreciate it if you and your friends leave it in bad shape."

"Don't worry, mom. Uncle Johnny will get the house back in perfect condition."

..

"You didn't meet Tifa?" Zack's voice was carried with the wind as he drove to Gongaga. "You know, back when you were younger and you lived in Nibelheim."

"No, I didn't. Or at least I don't think so. I don't remember much from that time." Cloud paused and then asked. "And you? When did you meet her?"

Zack kept silent for a moment before speeding up. "Too late."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chapter 38...

LTS: "This one is dense... Too much information?"

Cloud: "You didn't say any of their names."

LTS: "Well, you can still guess..."

Zack: "Cloud and I had a heart to heart talk!"

Cloud: "..."

Tifa: "He usually only has those talks with me. I'm glad he's opening up to others too now."

Cloud: "..."

LTS: "He's opening up like everyone else."

Cloud: "Do you realize I'm still here?"

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Tifa: "R&R and thanks for reading."

CIH! 23/03/2010


	39. Mr and Mrs Fair

**A/N**: Chap 39. Try to imagine her as a +35 years old woman, PLEASE! (You'll know what I mean later.)

LTS: "DON'T KILL ME AND I DON'T WANT FLAMES! Is that clear?"

Zack: "What's wrong?"

LTS: "I'm in an anti-nuclear bomb shelter, armed with Cloud's First Tsurugi -even if I can't wield it- and Koudelka's useless knife! And I'll create my Mizu if I have to!"

Cloud: "Give that back to me before you hurt yourself."

Kou: "My knife isn't useless."

LTS: "Yeah, sure, not..." *rolls her eyes*

Mizu: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything except me.**"

LTS: "YAY! Mizu is here to save me!"

Mizu: "Sorry, I'm not." *turns to Koudelka* "Care to join me for a drink?"

Kou: "Sure." *they go away*

LTS: "My own OC betrayed me!"

* * *

**Title**: Mr and Mrs Fair.

..

Zack pulled to a stop in front of his old house and took a look at it.

"Nostalgic?" Cloud's voice snapped Zack from his thoughts, he had already climbed off of the bike and was standing in front of him with his hands in his pockets.

Zack shook his head and replied. "No, my home is in Nibelheim now. It's just-"

"Zack?" Cloud and Zack turned around and saw a tall man with black hair and dark eyes. "What are you doing here?" The man took a few steps towards them and stopped. "Where's Tifa?"

Zack got off the bike and smiled at the man. "Hi dad."

Cloud looked at them with a look of surprise in his eyes. That man was Zack's father? While lost in his racing thoughts, Cloud felt Zack put an arm around his shoulders and pull him closer to the man. "This is my buddy Cloud. He's the one who's living with Tifa and I along with Angeal."

Cloud and Zack's father made eye contact with each other. _'You have to put up with him, too?'_ The silent question was answered by a knowing smirk from both, the blond and the dark-haired man.

"What are you two smirking at?" Zack let go of Cloud and looked at them with his hands on his hips and a smile on his face.

"Has he always been like this?" Cloud asked Zack's father, who seemed much too calm to be Zack's father.

"I think my wife rubbed off on him more than I have." The older man smiled warmly at Cloud, but turned serious when he next spoke to his son. "Where's Tifa?"

"She's in Nibelheim, in some friends' house. Our tutor is home today, she won't be alone when she gets home." Zack hurried to explain. "And we'll be back home in a few hours."

"Zack." He turned to Cloud and saw him pointing to the sky. It was dark and the moon and stars where already visible. "We spent more time talking than we thought." Cloud cocked his head at his friend. "What do we do?"

"First, call Tifa." They turned again to the tall man. "I bet she's worried sick about you."

"Don't worry," Zack waved a hand in dismissal. "she knows we're-" Zack froze in sudden realisation.

The black eyed man crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't tell her where you were going, right?"

Zack quickly grabbed his cell phone and opened the lid. "Oh, no..." Cloud approached him and looked at the device's bright screen.

_15 Missed calls.  
5 Voice messages._

"Cloud, give me your phone." Zack's voice was a little strained. Cloud obliged and handed him his cell phone. Zack opened the lid and looked at the screen. "You're in trouble, buddy." Cloud looked at his cell phone screen.

_25 Missed calls.  
12 Voice messages._

..

"Where are they?" Tifa whispered to herself.

It had been more than five hours since they left the house, and they didn't tell Angeal anything about where they were going. She had tried to call them, but they wouldn't pick up their phones. She had tried to go search for them, but Angeal had strictly prohibited her from leaving the house, remembering what happened the last time they left her alone. So the only thing she could do was wait.

And she waited.

And waited.

Until her phone rang.

She picked it up before the first ring ended. "Are you both okay!"

"See? I knew you were in trouble."

Zack's carefree voice relaxed her. She let out a sigh of relief and spoke. "And you're in trouble, too! Where are you?"

"Sorry Tifa. We're in Gongaga right now, Cloud's meeting mom and dad."

"And you couldn't tell me that before you left? Or at least picked up your phone?"

"_That's Zack's fault."_ Cloud's voice sounded from afar and she realised Zack had set the phone on speaker mode.

"You could have thought about saying something too!"

"It was because you were going so fast on Fenrir that we couldn't hear the phones." Cloud pushed the blame towards the darker haired boy.

"It was you who-"

"Shut up, both of you!" Tifa yelled through the phone firmly.

"_Sorry."_ It came from both of the boys. Just then, she heard someone snickering.

"Are you guys laughing at me?"

"_Sorry dear, It's me."_ Tifa heard some ruffling sounds. _"You haven't changed at all, Tifa."_

"... Mr. Fair?"

"_Don't call me that, you know that you are like a daughter to me." _Silence was his answer._ "Tifa?"_

Tifa could hear the blood pumping in her ears. She couldn't talk. She couldn't.

Some ruffling noises and then, Zack's worried voice sounded from the other line. _"Are you okay? Tifa?"_

"... I'm- I'm okay, Zack."

After a sigh, Zack's voice became quieter, as if he was far from the phone. _"I told you to not turn off the speaker mode..."_ The rest of his words were almost inaudible.

"_Tifa?"_ She jumped. She was trying so hard to hear Zack's voice through the earpiece, she didn't realise he had passed the phone to Cloud.

"I'm here."

"Zack's lecturing Mr. Fair."

"They'll never change." She laughed softly.

"Sorry about that."

"About what?"

"We made you worry."

"It's okay, at least you two are safe."

"_Tifa?"_ She made a humming noise, waiting for him to continue.

"Oh, dear! Is that really you! Tifa? Talk to me, my dear! It's been more than three months since the last time we talked! How are you? I'm sure Zack is giving you a lot of trouble. But I think you can handle him, right? I think you're the only person who can, in fact. And who's this cute blondie? Is he a friend of Zack? Oh, don't tell me... He's your boyfriend and you were afraid we didn't like him and that's why you didn't come. Don't be afraid of that! He seems really nice!-"

"_Mom..."_ Zack's voice sounded from afar. _"You haven't let her say anything yet."_ Tifa thought she heard a 'she's just like Yuffie' from an astonished Cloud, but she dismissed it.

"Mrs. Fair...?" Tifa tried to talk a little. At least, having Cloud and Zack's voices in the background helped her to gather some courage.

"Oh, dear, don't call me that. You know you can call me mother, you're like the daughter I never had!"

"_We should get inside."_ Tifa heard Mr. Fair's voice speak in the background. _"It's late, and we should prepare the beds for tonight and something for dinner. I'm sure you're hungry, right son?"_

"_You bet!"_ With that, Zack snatched the phone from his surrogate mother and spoke to Tifa. _"Hey, we'll stay here today. We'll come back tomorrow by afternoon. Is that okay?"_

"Why are you asking? It's not as if we can do anything about it."

"_Tifa..."_ It came as a sigh. _"You know I would drive all night if you wanted me to come home."_

"I know. I'll be okay Zack. There's no monster under the bed or inside the closet to scare me." She tried to lighten the mood with a little joke, but failed miserably.

"_No, but Angeal's there and you're all alone."_ Tifa remained silent. _"Stay locked in your room and everything will be alright, I'm sure he'll get out of the house by tomorrow morning, you just have to wait until then."_ She made a noise of agreement. _"Tifa, he's Angeal. He's even more harmless than Cloud, okay?"_ She heard a 'what did you say about me?' from Cloud in the distance and it made her smile.

"I'll be fine. Thank you, Zack."

"Hey, that's what brothers are for, right?"

"Right."

..

Mrs. Fair, Zack and Cloud were in Zack's old room. Zack told Cloud how they usually came to their old house on weekends to visit Zack's parents and they stayed there for the night, so their rooms were kept as they had left them. It had been a little more than three months since the last time they had spent a night there. "So, your cute friend has a name?" Cloud and Zack were trying to help Mrs. Fair prepare the beds while Zack's father made dinner.

Cloud blushed a bit. "I'm Cloud Strife."

She smiled at him. "I suppose Zack has already told you why we don't look anything alike." He nodded. "He got his beautiful eyes from his mother. Yours are really pretty too." That made his vanishing blush return with a new force.

"Stop flirting with Cloud, mom. He's too shy." Zack patted Cloud on the head as if he was a dog, which made Cloud shoot a glare at his friend. Zack ignored it and continued talking with the brunette woman. "Besides, he's only interested in Tifa."

"What!" Mrs. Fair and Cloud said at the same time. Cloud's face was slowly turning crimson while Mrs. Fair took his hands in hers and began babbling endlessly about how much she approved of Tifa's choice in boyfriends.

"Mom, they aren't together. He just has a crush on her."

"You too?" She smiled. "Little Zack had a crush on her too."

"Mom!" Zack cut her off before she could say anything more. "I did not, at least, not in the way you're implying."

She smiled again, grabbed some clean sheets, and the three of them went to the next room.

While Zack's room had been decorated with posters and had plenty of furniture, this room was quite empty. Just a small bed, a small closet and a desk. The walls were plain white, and the usually carpeted floor, was left uncovered. Just when he was about to ask Zack for the owner of the hollow room, he spotted something.

"This is... Tifa's room?" Cloud stepped inside and picked up the lonely picture that had caught his eye from the desk. It was a picture of Tifa, Zack, and his parents in front of their house in Nibelheim. Mrs. Fair was smiling widely, same as Mr. Fair while they held Zack in the air. Cloud's eyes drifted to little Tifa. She was looking to the house next to them with longing eyes and the smallest smile on her face. But it was an honest smile, one that made him feel sad, warm and fuzzy, all at the same time.

"We took that picture when we added Tifa to our little family. She-" Mrs. Fair began once she noticed Cloud's object of interest.

"Dinner's ready!" Zack's father called out from the kitchen.

"We better go down before the food gets cold." The woman smiled at the boys and climbed down the stairs, followed closely by a too-serious Zack and a lost-in-thought Cloud.

When they entered the dinning room, they heard Mrs. Fair gasp. "Oh no!" The three males in the household stared at her, startled from their pre-dinner preparations. "We didn't even introduce ourselves!" The woman stood in front of Cloud and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm Priscilla Fair. Nice to meet you Cloud." Cloud just nodded, too nervous to speak.

"Don't worry, Cloud. It's a custom from Junon to salute with a kiss." Mr. Fair approached Cloud, took his hand, and shook it. "I'm Reeve Fair. Nice to meet you, Strife."

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 39.

LTS: "I've said it! I'm in a safe haven and I have Cloud with me to protect me!"

Cloud: "You really think I'll protect you?"

LTS: "What!"

Cloud: "Why should I?"

LTS: "Because we are friends, you know you like me -as a friend, of course- even if sometimes you act like a jerk, and I love the Cloti?"

Cloud: "..."

LTS: "So?"

Cloud: "Fine."

LTS: "Cloud protects me! YAY!"

Tifa: "Cloud! I see the first wave of mad readers!"

Cloud: "..."

Tifa: "They're coming!"

Cloud: "You are alone, Lady." *goes away* "Teef! Are you okay!"

LTS: "... Zack?"

Zack: "Sorry, girl. I have to protect my angel."

LTS: "I see..."

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** R&R, thanks for reading and don't flame LTS, she has made her best to find me a suitable father and mother." *goes away*

LTS: "Thanks, Zack."

CIH! 26/03/2010


	40. Cloud and Zack

**A/N**: Chap 40.

LTS: *muttering to herself* "I can do it, I've promised it. I can do it!"

Zack: "Lady?"

LTS: "Zack, can you go to see how the reviewers are doing? Bring them something to drink, or... do something..."

Zack: "Are you trying to get rid of me?"

LTS: "Yes."

Zack: "Okay, I don't wanna know what's happening." *goes away* "I'll give you ten minutes!"

LTS: "I can do it... Aerith, come here please..."

Aerith: "What is it?"

LTS: *shudder* "Can you let go of that pink dog for a sec?"

Aerith: "Oh, okay." *lets go of the dog* "Something you need?"

LTS: "Someone wants to hug you."

Aerith: "Really? Who is it?"

oodball167: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Aerith: "Okay, come here." *hugging* "You had a hard day? Tell me about it." *smile*

oodball167: *smile* "Well… Shall I begin from the beginning?"

* * *

**Title**: Cloud and Zack

..

After having dinner, Zack's parents washed the dishes and stayed in the living room while Cloud followed Zack to the second floor of the house. Cloud was bracing himself for a long night while trying to sleep on a couch or sharing Zack's room, but his friend's next words surprised him.

"We still have to prepare your bed for the night." Zack said while opening Tifa's bedroom door.

Cloud looked at him quizzically. He sure wasn't planning to make him sleep in Tifa's bed, was he? "What?"

"What, what?" Zack almost laughed at Cloud's suddenly pink and startled face.

"This is Tifa's bedroom." The blond stated the obvious.

"So?" Zack looked at him. "Why do you think we were changing the sheets and all? You didn't expect me to make you sleep on-" Zack stopped when the meaning of Cloud's words sank in, making him laugh at his blond friend. "Cloud, it's just a room, it's not like Tifa is in there!"

They entered Tifa's old bedroom and Cloud felt his heart sink a little upon seeing the empty room once again. Her room in Nibelheim was completely different from this one. While the one in Nibelheim was cozy and welcoming, this one was hollow and sad. While her room in Nibelheim was decorated -even if it was more practical than ornamental- this one was plain and empty. It looked more like a hospital room than a teenager's bedroom. While Cloud was lost in his thoughts, Zack grabbed the sheets Priscilla had prepared earlier and continued what they were doing before dinner.

"Why?" Cloud asked aloud without noticing.

"Why, what?" Zack asked while stripping the bed from the three-months-old sheets.

"This room. It doesn't looks anything like the one Tifa has in Nibelheim." Cloud explained while helping Zack.

"Tifa always tried to hide her 'illness' from us, even if we already knew about it." Zack sighed. "She didn't let us stop her episodes, so she bled a lot. Blood stains are difficult to clean. As you already know, she can become quite aggressive when she's having an episode, so she removed the carpet to prevent staining and the furniture and decorations to save them from accidents."

..

When they finished changing the sheets, they sat on the bed in silence. Cloud looked at Zack and saw him staring at the wall. Apparently, Zack saw something Cloud couldn't.

"Where did you live?" Zack suddenly spoke up.

Zack's sudden question left Cloud confused. "When?"

"When you lived in Nibelheim. Where was your house? You said you lived there until you were four and then returned this year, right? Where was your old house?"

Cloud thought about a way to explain himself. "I lived in the centre of the town, in front of the well. It was a one-story house on the right of the path that led to the Valentine manor, and to the left of a two-story house."

"No kidding..." Cloud looked at his friend again and saw he wasn't surprised at all.

"What?"

Zack leaned back with his hands behind him on the bed and crossed his legs in front of him. "The two-story house was Tifa's parents' house until her mother died and her father went psycho. Eventually Tifa and her father moved to the house we're currently residing in. When my family moved to Nibelheim we ended up living in Tifa's old two-story home. It was a coincidence that when Tifa joined our family she ended up living in her old house. Because of it, Tifa was allowed to live in her first home for eight more years. But then my father found a job here in Gongaga. Tifa and I moved to our current home, Tifa's second house, so that we could still attend high school."

"So, you and I were neighbours at one time?"

"I don't think we ever crossed paths. When I arrived in Nibelheim, you were already gone, and when you returned, I was living with Tifa in her second home." Zack got up and stood in front of the metallic desk. "This picture was taken in front of her first house to the right of yours." Zack inspected the photo closely. "Why was she looking at your house?"

..

After making dinner for Angeal, and informing him through his door that she didn't felt well, Tifa locked herself in her room. She paced around her bedroom trying to find something to do, her bed was made, the floor and the furniture were dust-free, and her homework, which she usually did while working, was finished. She let herself fall backwards onto her bed with a bored sigh and closed her eyes. Everything was in its place. Usually with Zack around, she always had to do something. He kept her busy, but not in a bad way. She actually enjoyed it, being able to take care of him as he had done for her. She missed his ability to distract her from her own mind.

She missed Cloud too.

He was much calmer than her brother, but the effect was the same. If he was home, he'd keep her busy too. When they arrived home from work, they would change their clothes and Cloud would do his homework in the kitchen table instead of his room while she would make dinner. He usually asked her how her day was, if she was tired, and if she had time to do her homework while taking care of a kid. Then he would ask lots of random questions with answers he already knew. He already knew she took care of a little girl in Cosmo Canyon, he always knew how tired she was the moment she leaned into his back while riding behind him on Fenrir when he picked her up from her job, he already knew Tifa always did most of her homework while the little girl she babysat was doing her own and the rest during the breaks at school. Tifa realized he was just keeping her mind busy with questions. What she didn't know was why he was doing it.

Tifa rolled to her left and something caught her eye, causing her to smile.

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 40.

Aerith: *from oodball's arms* "LTS has run away..."

Kou: *enters the room* "He's oodball167?"

Aerith: *still in oodball's arms* "Yeah, what's wrong?"

Kou: "Nothing." *turns to oodball* "..." *crosses her arms* "You are interesting." *goes away*

oodball167: "What was that?"

Zack: *from outside* "Angel! Where are you!"

Aerith: *lets go of oodball* "Boyfriend calling, sorry." *goes away*

LTS: *enters the room* "Have you talked to Koudelka?"

oodball167: "I wouldn't call that a talk."

LTS: "I told you she's strange."

oodball167: "Yeah. Read and review."

LTS: "And thanks for reading!"

CIH! 28/03/2010


	41. Late calls: Tifa and Zack

**A/N**: Chap 41.

LTS: "Why do you wear pink?"

Genesis: "Why do you wish to taste my wrath?"

LTS: "Seriously, why do you wear pink?"

Genesis: "Why should I listen to your words?"

LTS: "Why can't you say yes?"

Genesis: "Why do you ask such a strange question?"

LTS: "Can you?" *mutters something about a hug*

Genesis: *ignores the muttering* "Yes."

LTS: "Ah-ha! I got you! You agreed to give a hug!"

Genesis: *glare* "I have not."

LTS: "I don't care what you say."

-Angelus-Delapsus-: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *hugs Genesis*

LTS: *dead serious* "You better hug back or I'll make you regret it."

Genesis: *hugs -Angelus-Delapsus-* "..."

* * *

**Title**: Late calls: Tifa and Zack.

__

_Tifa rolled to her left and something caught her eye, causing her to smile._

She got up from the bed and stood before her unused vanity. Tifa looked at it and took a plush from where it had rested. It was a black and white cat, and it had a chain with a dog tag around its neck. She smiled wistfully at the tiny object. Tifa dislodged the chain from the cat plush's neck and read the inscription on the back of the dog tag.

_To my sweetheart_

_'Stay with me.'_

_-- Zack Fair _

She sat on the bed with the dog tag in her left hand and the plushy on her lap, petting it unconsciously with her free hand. A text message from Zack awoke her from her daze.

_Are you awake?_

She smiled and texted back. _Yeah, what's up?_

_I just wanted to know how your day went._

_I haven't seen Angeal, if that's what you're asking. I made dinner and then locked myself in my room._ After sending the message, she shifted on her bed to lay on her back. Once she started to feel comfy and drowsy, another message arrived on her phone.

_Dad made cold noodles for dinner, I think Cloud liked them. And I've finally asked dad to give me his old bike._

She sighed, did he really ask Reeve for that pile of rust? She looked at her phone. If they were going to discuss the bike, there wasn't a chance they could comfortably carry on the discussion through text messages, it would be better to call him. Tifa dialed Zack's phone number and waited for him to answer. "Zack?"

"_What is it?"_ He sounded confused, his tone asking her why she was calling him if they were already conversing by text.

"You asked Reeve to give you his bike?"

"_Of course! He doesn't use it."_ He said in a no nonsense tone of voice. After all, it was logical to use the bike instead of leaving it to rust -even more- in the garage. The bike wasn't cool or new, after all the bike was pretty old and it had some rust, but at least it still worked.

Tifa sighed again while putting a hand to her forehead. She could feel a headache coming. She wasn't going to let him drive on that deathtrap. "What did he say?" She asked exasperated, Reeve wasn't going to give his son such a piece of junk, was he?

"_Mom said we could go tomorrow to see what shape the bike is in, but Dad didn't say anything. He just stood up and handed me a key... Wait, he _did_ say something..." _Zack tried to remember his father's words. He had been so focused on his dinner, he hadn't paid any attention to Reeve. _"He said something about a day... Day two..."_ That made Tifa understand. Of course Reeve wouldn't have let Zack use a rusty old bike.

"Daytona two." Tifa corrected Zack.

"_Yeah! Daytona two!"_ He seemed proud of having remembered. _"But what does that have to do with anything?"_

"Hardy Daytona Two." Tifa said the complete name, hoping he got the point.

He didn't. _"What?"_

She sighed in resignation and explained the matter to Zack. "You had a bike, right?"

"_Yeah."_

"And Reeve has another one in Gongaga."

"_So...?"_

"There's another one, Zack."

"_... Huh?"_

"Mine, Zack." She said finally. "Reeve gave you the key to _my_ bike."

She let a few seconds pass to let the information sink in to Zack's brain. _"What? Why?"_

"I never used it, remember? It's been gathering dust in Gongaga for the past two years."

Zack tried to remember Tifa's bike. It was the same model as his old one. The only difference was the colour and position of some of the parts, but he could modify that. _"So now I'm gonna use your bike? You won't mind if I change some things, right?"_

"Of course not, Zack. It's all yours." Tifa heard some ruffling sounds on the other end of the line. "Zack?"

When she was about to ask again, his reply came. _"Cloud can't sleep."_

Now it was Tifa's turn to be confused. "What?"

"_Memory problems?"_ He chuckled. _"Blonde, blue eyes, short-"_

She interrupted him. "He's not short! Why does everyone say he's short!?"

Zack continued over Tifa's protest. _"living-with-us-Cloud is having trouble sleeping."_

"You didn't need to give me a description of him-"

He interrupted her again. _"Well, he can't sleep, but I'm tired of driving so many hours and I need to rest, I'll see you tomorrow. I'm gonna crash, goodnight!"_

Her eyebrows rose at the change of subject. Was he really going to end the conversation so abruptly? "What? Zack!" He hung up before the words were out of her mouth. Her response were the dial tone of the phone. Just when she was about to call Zack and get some answers, she received a text message from him.

_I think he needs to talk with you, Tifa._

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 41.

-Angelus-Delapsus-: *lets go of Genesis and runs away* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: *turns to Genesis* "Did you like that?"

Genesis: "... It was an interesting experience..."

LTS: "That's all?"

Genesis: "The embrace between two human beings is fascinating..."

LTS: "Genesis?"

Genesis: "Embrace me."

LTS: "WTF!?"

Genesis: *steps closer to LTS* "Embrace me."

LTS: "Get away from me, you pink wearer!" *runs away*

Genesis: "Read, review and thank you to all the ones who read this." *enters the reviewers room and stands in the doorway, making everyone look at him* "Embrace me."

Everyone: "WTF!?"

CIH!! 03/04/2010 Genesis is the hug monster!


	42. Late calls: Tifa and Cloud

**A/N**: Chap 42. 150 reviews!! I love you all sooo much! X3

LTS: "Cloud, put your arms at your sides."

Cloud: "What?"

LTS: "Just do it!"

Cloud: "..." *puts his arms at his sides* "What is it?"

LTS: "I just want to try something. Now lift your arms a little."

Cloud: *lifts his arms* "Like this?"

LTS: "Now, stay put." *takes a breath* "NOW!!"

PeAceLovEr 12: *While running at full speed towards Cloud with her arms extended* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything!**" *hugs Cloud*

* * *

**Title**: Late calls: Tifa and Cloud.

__

"_My house?" Cloud got up and Zack turned the picture in his hands for him to see. Indeed, the house Tifa was looking at with a small smile was none other than his._

Cloud rolled onto his right side on Tifa's bed. It had been nearly two hours since Zack had left the room and an hour and half since he started to try to sleep. He had been looking at the family portrait from the bed the whole time before he turned around and faced the wall. It was absurd. Why was he so caught up with that image? She was probably smiling at someone or something that just happened to be in the same direction as his house... Right? He turned around and looked at the picture again.

From where he was, the moonlight coming from the uncovered window cast various shadows and streams of light across the glossy surface of the glass frame, making it impossible to see anything. The desk was too far away for him to see the details of the image anyway. He couldn't see Tifa's face, resigning Cloud to wonder.

He turned around again, telling himself one more time it was absurd. She didn't say anything about knowing him when Zack introduced them, and he didn't remember her either. She didn't have a reason to smile at his house. Because... She _was_ smiling at his house, right?

Cloud turned again and he still couldn't see her face.

He gave up with a groan and stood up from the bed. Taking three long strides, he stopped in front of the desk. His hand reached out and took the picture, bringing it closer and closer to his face. Once it was only a foot away from his face, he saw her small smile and it made him smile too. When the cold of the floor reached his senses, he walked to the bed with the picture in his hand and lied back down on it. He turned to his right side, facing the wall once again and put the image in front of him.

He could see part of his house in the background to the left of Tifa's house. Tifa stood off to the left of the Fair family, so she was the closest person in the photo to his house. She had her arms crossed, hugging her chest while slightly leaning away from the others in the photo. She seemed to be trying to find comfort in something, yet her body was slightly turned away from her new family. In fact, she wasn't even looking at the camera, her neck followed her slightly turned body as she appeared to be staring over her shoulder at his house.

He closed his eyes and turned to lie on his back. He had just rested one arm over his eyes when his cell phone vibrated. He looked towards the chair in front of the desk and saw its light through the fabric of his jacket. He got up slowly and grabbed it from his jacket, only for the caller to hang up before he could answer it. Once he had it in his hand, the phone vibrated again, this time it was a message.

He lied back down on his back on the bed and opened the lid of his phone while his other hand still held the family portrait. Cloud looked in his inbox to see a text message from Tifa.

_Sorry if I woke you. I just wanted to ask how the parents meeting went, but I suppose you're already sleeping. It's okay, we can talk tomorrow. Goodnight Cloud._

Cloud was about to call her when a second message arrived.

_Zack made you sleep in my bedroom?_

He chuckled and texted back. _Yes, he did. And the parents meeting as you called it went okay. Mrs Fair is like mixing Zack, Yuffie and a sugar-high, though. But she's nice. And Mr Fair is so calm I couldn't believe he is Zack's father. _He pressed the send button and waited for a response. It came a minute later.

_Sorry for waking you up, I had just called Zack and he said you were awake._ Cloud looked at the door. Maybe Zack heard him tossing and turning? _And you're right, Priscilla is a bit hyper, but she's very sweet, and Reeve is very responsible and caring. You probably get along well with him._

After reading the message, he looked at the picture in his hand and then at his phone. After nodding to himself, he dialed her phone number. Tifa picked up on the first ring.

"_Cloud?"_

"Hey."

"_Hey. What's up?"_

"Tifa?"

"_... Yeah?"_

He lifted the picture to his eye-level and stared at it. Here, in Tifa's room, surrounded by a faint trace of her scent, seeing her image in front of him, and hearing her voice through the speaker, he felt completely surrounded by her, and it simply felt right. He smiled to himself at the warm sensation and then blushed profoundly when she asked him if he was alright. He had been so caught up in his sensations he didn't remember she was still waiting for his reply.

"Sorry. I just... Tifa?"

"_Cloud, ask what you want to ask already."_ Tifa said while laughing softly.

He nodded again and it made him remember something. "Tifa, I nodded."

Her soft laugh transformed into a full blown laugh for a few seconds before she forced herself to calm down in order to not wake Angeal, who was sleeping in his room on the first floor of the house.

"_Don't make me laugh so much, you wouldn't want me to wake up Angeal, right?"_ She regained some breath and asked again._ "What did you want to ask?"_

Cloud's smile caused by her laugh disappeared and he looked at the picture again. "As you guessed, Zack put me in your room."

"_And?"_ She tried coaxing him to explain further.

"And I'm there right now."

"_I've figured that much."_

Cloud realised they could be rambling all night, so he decided to cut to the point. "The picture, why?"

"_What?" _

_'Way to quit the rambling, Strife.' _He would had patted himself on the back if he could. "The family portrait on your desk. You seem to be distracted from the camera. You're staring at the house on your right."

Tifa stayed silent for a while before replying. _"... I... I don't remember much from that time."_ Her voice was nervous and he knew she was hiding something from him.

"Tifa?" Cloud asked, coaxing her to explain what she was hiding.

"_I... "_ He heard her sigh before replying, and when she spoke, it was with a defeated voice._ "Cloud, forget about that picture, please. I... I probably saw something strange on that side."_ He was about to reply when he heard her voice again, this time it was almost a whisper, as if she didn't mean to say it out loud. _"... It doesn't matter anyway..."_

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 42.

Cloud: "You made me do all that just for me to hug PeAceLovEr?"

LTS: "What do you mean?"

Cloud: "You could have asked."

LTS: "What...?"

Cloud: "You could have asked me to hug her."

LTS: "Like you would had accepted." *rolls her eyes*

Cloud: "Why not?"

PeAceLovEr 12: *from Cloud's arms* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Thanks, PeAceLovEr."

PeAceLovEr 12: "Hey, I got my hug!"

LTS: "..."

PeAceLovEr 12: "What?"

LTS: "I want to hug you too!" *hugs PeAceLovEr*

Cloud: "R&R and thanks for reading... I feel ignored..."

Tifa: "Come here, Mr hugs." *hugs Cloud*

CIH!! 29/03/2010


	43. Cloud's help

**A/N**: Chap 43.

LTS: "The question of the day; What was Teef hiding?"

Cloud: "Are you going to tell us?"

LTS: "Nope."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Thanks, Teef."

Tifa: "About the 'illness'..."

LTS: "Sorry, no spoilers. I'll explain everything someday, I promise."

* * *

**Title**: Cloud's help.

__

The next few days were awkward. Cloud knew Tifa was hiding something from him since that phone call, and she kept avoiding him in fear that he would bring the question back up. Cloud was tired of the situation. It couldn't be that bad; She was only smiling at his house! Why was she trying to hide it from him?

They were on Cloud's bike, returning home from the house Tifa babysat at, when he suddenly came to a stop and got off of Fenrir. Cloud turned around and stood in front of Tifa while she looked at him quizzically from the bike.

He crossed his arms and shifted his weigh to one hip. "It's been three days since Zack and I came back from Gongaga and you've been avoiding me since then. Why?"

Instead of denying it, Tifa met his gaze briefly before turning away. One part of her wanted to tell him, but the other wanted him to _see_ the truth. That latter part of her wanted to test him, wanted to prove that he was only being nice, that she was still alone. That same part of her wanted him to go away.

"Tifa." His low voice snapped her from her thoughts and caused her to raise head. Just before she lifted her gaze to see his eyes, she felt a pang of pain in her chest. Tifa hadn't noticed how much she had let the taint control her through her thoughts, and now, it had released. She put a hand above her heart, pressing against her shirt, trying to soothe the pain while her breath came in short gasps.

Cloud's arms fell to his sides. "... Tifa?" His tone had lost all trace of determination; instead it had been replaced with nervousness and worry. He saw her tilt her head to look at the sky, searching for something, only to bow her head moments later when she didn't find whatever she was looking for. Cloud took a step towards her, his arms lifting on their own accord to touch her. "... Are you okay?"

She felt the familiar pain in her chest extend to her back and tried to control it, but it wasn't any use. Tifa was worried, Zack and Shalua weren't there to help her, and she didn't want Cloud to have to see it happen again. She did the only thing she could think of to do.

Tifa tried to take a deep breath and got off the bike, putting her fake smile on her face, just like she had done thousands of times before when she lived with the Fairs. She looked directly at Cloud, standing as straight as she could to give the impression of strength. "I'm fine, I just remembered I forgot something back in Cosmo Canyon." Tifa saw Cloud's eyes narrow, but she dismissed it. "Can you go get it for me?"

"No." His tone was final.

She winced as the pain streaked through her again and tried again to get him to leave. "But I need it for tomorrow."

"Then we can go get it together." She knew he wasn't buying her poor excuse of a lie, she was hiding something and he was trying to force her to reveal it. He took a step forward, and when he was about to touch her, she squirmed away. His arms fell to his sides again. "It's an episode?" His tone was worried again, and his voice sounded a little broken.

A little whimper of pain escaped from her mouth as she shook her head in denial, even when her legs had given out under her and she sank to her knees from the pain, she still denied her pain.

"Why are you doing this?" Cloud dropped to his knees with her and cradled her face in his hands, forcing the two of them to look at each other. Even if her eyes had transformed to that shining red that made his blood run cold, he looked deep into them, trying to convince her to stop pretending. "Don't hide from me, please."

She simply stared at his eyes, still trying to control the taint even when she had passed the point of no return so long ago.

"Tell me what I can do." At that, her mind stopped, only to start racing with just one thought. No.

She shook her head as violently as she could while Cloud held her face in place. "... I can't. I won't do that to you..."

"Zack helps you until Shalua gets to you, right? How?" Cloud still wouldn't let go of her face. It broke him seeing her in pain, he wanted to help her.

She could see the honesty and pain in his blue eyes and it made her taint waver a little. "... Cloud..."

"I'm here, Teef." His reply was immediate and accompanied with the feel of his forehead against hers. He closed his eyes. "I'm here..."

With that, the hidden part of herself, the monster, froze. Cloud had always stayed by her side. She wasn't alone anymore.

"Tell me Tifa." His thumbs caressed her face. "Tell me what I can do to stop the pain."

She thought vaguely that he wasn't talking only about _her_ pain, but her thoughts were halted at that moment when her back began to burn; she knew what was about to happen.

"Teef... Please..." He opened his eyes and the look she saw broke her as well.

"... He... makes me drink his... blood." The pain was taking her strength away, making her dizzy, but if she fainted the taint would be released and the wings would come out of her back, so she tried to focus. She tried to focus on his eyes, on his breath, and on the way his hands caressed her cheeks, anything but the pain.

Cloud looked at her eyes and asked cautiously. "It... It would work with mine too, right?" After not hearing a reply, he let go of her and got up.

Without Cloud supporting her, Tifa slumped forward, her torso resting on her thighs and her arms under her head, as she tried to get up. She heard something shatter and then his voice.

"It's Tifa. Yes. Call Shalua. Sephiroth? Okay. Don't worry. Zack, I got this." A pause. "Promise." A second later, Cloud was in front of her, a small shard of a mirror in his hand. Cloud sat on the floor, his back leaning on his bike as he pulled her to his chest to rest with her back to him. She felt completely boneless. "... Teef?" He looked at her face over her shoulder and saw her eyes closed. Cloud called her name and shook her shoulder a little, had she fainted? But then he felt her grab and squeeze his left hand while a small moan of pain crossed her lips.

Cloud let her squeeze his hand while he made a little cut on his forearm, near his wrist, with the mirror shard from his bike. Once the cut was wide enough for the blood to make a trail down his arm, he put it in front of her mouth.

Tifa's eyes opened when she felt his arm touching her lips and turned her head to look at him over her shoulder. Cloud put his right arm around her waist, embracing her, and squeezed. "It's okay." She let go of the death grip she had on his hand and put her newly freed left hand on his left forearm, keeping it in place in front of her mouth with both hands. "It's okay, Teef." She opened her mouth and covered the wound with it. Long minutes passed, her tongue licking the blood while she sucked to bring out more. Every time she swallowed, the pain became less intense, until she only felt a numb sensation on her back and later regained sensitivity there. She was slowly becoming aware of how she was pressed against Cloud, from her shoulders down to her lower body, and it made her blush.

He felt her shoulders go stiff and he looked at her. "Something wrong?" It came out more exasperated than he expected. It felt incredibly good to have her pressed so perfectly against him, with her fingertips unconsciously caressing his arm and her mouth and tongue on his skin.

Once he noticed where his thoughts were leading, he blushed crimson. Cloud shook his head and cleared his throat. She was still licking his wound, and he forced himself to focus on the small pain caused by the action to keep his body from getting any funny ideas. _'She's your friend, Strife. She's your best friend's sister.'_

She shook her head in response to his question, not trusting her voice, and relaxed against him again, it felt good to be in his arms, after all. The taste of his skin, even mixed with his blood, and the way he was unconsciously caressing her bare stomach was making her breath hitch, leaving her speechless.

Once she felt that the taint was under control again, she let go of his arm slowly, but they didn't get up. Cloud didn't make any effort to remove his right arm from her waist, and she didn't seem to mind, so they stayed like that, enjoying the peaceful silence.

"... Thank you, Cloud." Tifa said after a while. He grunted in response and tightened his embrace, cocooning her with his body.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 43.

LTS: "..."

Cloud: "..."

Tifa: "..."

Zack: "..."

LTS: "... Someone say something... Please..."

Cloud: "... Something."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Zack: "R&R and thanks for reading."

CIH!! 05/04/2010


	44. Time matters

**A/N**: Chap 44.

LTS: "And Cloud saves the day! Who would have thought Tifa would end up drinking Cloud's blood?"

Kou: "Probably everyone."

Vincent: "Predictable."

LTS: "Leave me alone, will you?"

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Time matters.

__

"I called Zack. He said Sephiroth will come with his car to pick us up." After such a long and comfortable silence, Cloud's low voice startled Tifa. She nodded to let him know she was listening. "Shalua is on her way here." Tifa nodded again. "And Zack will probably come, too."

"You didn't have to do that." Tifa felt Cloud tense behind her upon hearing her words. "I..." Tifa knew what Cloud wanted to say. She still hadn't answered his question and he still wanted to know about the picture in her room.

"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I just..." Cloud rested his cut left arm on his left knee and shifted a little so the bike was supporting more of his weigh. "I don't want to lose you, Tifa."

Tifa's heart skipped a beat and her cheeks burned. "Cloud..." She was still pressed against him and his right arm hadn't moved from its position around her waist. Tifa slowly, almost tentatively put her hands over his right arm, hugging him to her. "I'll tell you soon. Just... give me some time."

He heard the plea in her words and nodded once. He shifted slightly so that Tifa's head rested right below his neck. "... Okay." He said it softly, as if he didn't want to disturb the silence around them and kissed her on the top of her head, letting his lips linger there for a moment before nuzzling and resting his cheek there. "Okay." He said again, closing his eyes.

__

When Shalua, Zack, Vincent and Sephiroth arrived at their destination, Zack got out of the car before it had even stopped, running at full speed towards Cloud's bike. "Cloud!"

"We're here." Cloud's hushed voice sounded from the other side of the bike.

Zack went to the other side while the rest exited Sephiroth's car. When he saw them, he sat on his heels, his arms resting on his knees and grinned. "And here I was, worried sick for my princess, and I find her sleeping contently in her knight's arms."

Cloud blushed and turned his head.

Shalua approached them while Vincent and Sephiroth waited by the car. "How did it go?" She kneeled down on Cloud's left and took his arm in her hands, examining it. "What did you use to cut yourself?"

Cloud pointed at Fenrir's broken mirror. "It was the only thing I had on hand." Shalua started to treat his wound. "Leave it like that." Cloud's voice made Shalua look at him.

"What did you say?"

"Leave my arm like that."

Shalua glanced between him and Zack. Then her eyes turned to Cloud again, looking at him like he was crazy. "I have to close the cut and bandage it so it wouldn't bleed any more."

Zack stepped into the conversation. "The cut is already closed. Leave it like that."

Shalua huffed and let go of his arm. "It will scar." She warned with amusement at the boy's stubbornness.

The corner of Cloud's mouth turned upwards in a slight smile. "I know." Then, his eyes turned serious again. "You should check her." Cloud said while pointing at Tifa with his left arm.

The doctor smiled to the girl. "Tifa's fine. She just needs to rest." Shalua got up and walked towards the car again, passing Sephiroth and Vincent. "I won't charge you for this visit." Sephiroth nodded to her and waited with Vincent for Zack's signal to approach them while Shalua climbed back into the car.

"How'd it go?" Zack asked Cloud, a smile on his face.

Cloud sighed and leaned on his bike, closing his eyes. "Zack. Spill it."

"You want a scar from this, huh?" Cloud knew this was going to happen. After all, Zack loved to tease him about Tifa. "Something you want to remember?"

"The wound is cleaned and closed, I don't need a bandage."

"And..." Zack coaxed him to say what he wanted to hear.

Cloud sighed in defeat. "And I want a scar from this."

Zack grinned. "You do know she won't forgive you for that, don't you?" Cloud nodded. Tifa wouldn't be very happy that he'd have another scar because of her. "What do you want from that one?" Zack pointed at Cloud's arm.

"I still don't know." His hand rose and touched his left eyebrow. "I know it's important, but I don't know why." He looked at Tifa while Zack got up.

Zack crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the bike by Cloud's side. "Now seriously, what happened?"

Cloud looked at him and then turned his eyes to the sky. "I asked her why she was avoiding me."

Zack seemed to contemplate Cloud's answer. "Nothing more?" Zack had noticed how Tifa was avoiding Cloud ever since they returned from Gongaga, but he knew that either Cloud or Tifa would do something about it soon, so he let them be. But now he needed to know what had made Tifa lose control over her 'illness'.

"I just asked her why she was doing it, nothing more."

Zack nodded and leaned away from the bike, his arms falling to his sides again. "Okay. But maybe you should talk with her when she wakes up. She doesn't normally lose control without a reason."

Cloud turned his eyes to Tifa. "She said she needed time."

"To hell with time!" Cloud's head snapped up at Zack's words. Zack was facing away from him, but he could feel the other boy's anger. Why was Zack angry?

"Zack?" Cloud asked cautiously.

"Don't give her the time to close herself again, Cloud. If I had given her more time, she would be dead." With that, Zack went to the car and finally let Sephiroth and Vincent approach the black bike.

Cloud was still shocked from Zack's words. His reaction had been too extreme to think it wasn't important. Maybe Zack was right and he'd have to talk with Tifa when she woke up.

Cloud looked up when a shadow blocked the sunlight in front of him. "Vincent?"

"I was with Zack when you called him." Vincent approached him and looked at Tifa closely. "Is she okay?"

"She's fine. Shalua said she just needs to rest." Vincent nodded in understanding and took a step to the side, making room for Sephiroth. When he saw Sephiroth's eyes, he decided against staying there and went to the car.

The long haired man had kept close watch over the blond-haired boy in front of him ever since he had known Cloud was living with Tifa. Sephiroth had observed how Tifa's smile brightened whenever Cloud was near, how they blushed when someone teased them, and how Cloud's right arm was currently wrapped around Tifa's waist right now, and he couldn't take it any more. Sephiroth turned around, facing away from them. "Does Zack know?"

Cloud stared at Sephiroth with a puzzled look. "Know what?"

"That you love Tifa."

Cloud's eyes widened. "I-"

"I'm leaving this summer break. Wait until then to say it to her." Sephiroth started to walk away but Cloud called him. Sephiroth turned around and talked to the blue-eyed man without looking at him. "She's happy with you." He crossed his arms over his chest. "I still love her, and that will never change, but I guess we were never meant to be. That's why I ask you to wait until I'm gone." He took a step towards Cloud and leaned closer to him. "But I warn you. Break her heart and I'll break you." With that said, Sephiroth straightened up and turned to his car, leaving behind a wide-eyed Cloud.

__

"How do we do this?" Zack asked everyone in the car. "We need someone to get Fenrir home, but I don't want to take Tifa away from Cloud.

"You drive the bike and they get in the car." Vincent answered in his neutral tone.

"And why don't we-" Zack stopped in mid-sentence when he spotted Cloud. "Oh, hell no!" He got out of the car and rushed to his side. "Are you mad!? I won't let you drive Fenrir with Tifa still asleep in your arms!"

Carrying her bridal-style, Cloud tossed a leg over the bike and sat with Tifa in front of him. "I don't think she minds." Tifa was still fast asleep, leaning on Cloud's chest while he started the bike. "Don't worry. I'll get her home safe and sound, Zack."

Zack sighed and stepped away to make room for Fenrir. "One scratch on her and you're dead, man." He said half-jokingly.

"One scratch on her and I'll be dead." Cloud said seriously.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 44.

LTS: "See? Sephiroth is a good guy!"

Tifa: "I've spent almost the whole chapter sleeping..."

Cloud: "The sleeping beauty." *kisses Tifa on her hand*

Tifa: "Cloud..." *blush*

LTS: "Want me to leave you two alone?"

Cloud: "Yes."

Tifa: "NO!"

LTS: "Yes or no?"

Cloud: "Yes."

Tifa: "Cloud!"

LTS: "Whatever. **Disclaimer: I don't own anything,** R&R and thanks for reading." *goes away*

Cloud: *whisper in Tifa's ear* "Wanna play cards or chat until we fall asleep?"

Tifa: "What?"

Cloud: "That's what I thought." *kisses Tifa*

CIH!! 07/04/2010 Because we all know they spend their alone time chastely. Yeah, they played cards, talked, and petted Chocobos until they fell asleep under the Highwind. (Yeah, sure...)


	45. Summer break: Start

**A/N**: Chap 45. Conversation with the collaboration of oodball167. Thanks, oodball!

oodball167: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "Hey, nice to see you're back!" *high fives oodball*

Zack: *smiles* "You want to hug me this time?"

oodball167: "Sorry, I'm not here for hugs this time."

Zack: "Why doesn't a single reader want to hug me?" *looks oodball with puppy eyes*

oodball167: "Don't give me puppy eyes, you know it won't work. Besides, why do you want to be hugged by readers? Won't it make Aerith jealous?

Zack: "Uh... Forget what I said."

* * *

**Title**: Summer break: Start.

..

"The last three months have gone so well that Director Lazard has asked me to remain as your teacher for the next school year as well. I couldn't have been happier to accept his offer. It will be an honour to remain by all of your sides as you continue on your journey of life for another year." Angeal looked at each student in his class and saw them all almost trembling in excitement. He chuckled. "Now that my little speech is over, you are all free to go."

Shouts of "Vacation!" and "Summer break, I love you!" where heard all over the building.

Tifa approached Angeal while Zack tugged at her arm, impatient to get out to start having fun. "What are you going to do this break?"

Angeal smiled at the girl. "I'll go back to Banora to spend time with my family, don't worry about me. Now, go, before your brother rips your arm off."

"C'mon, Tifa! We're finally free!" Zack tugged at Tifa's arm again like a child would tug the hem of his mother's skirt. As Tifa continued to resist Zack's childlike nagging, the boy spotted Cloud as he headed for the class exit. "Hey, you!" Zack let go of Tifa's arm and grabbed Cloud by the shoulder. "C'mon, you're coming with us!"

Cloud turned to his friend and a raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What? With who?"

"Tifa and I, of course!" Zack replied with a cheeky grin. "We're going to celebrate the start of the vacation with some ice cream!"

Tifa turned to Angeal and smiled. "Sorry, I have to go."

Angeal nodded at her and watched his three students and former housemates leave with a growing smile on his face.

He would miss them.

After going home to leave their bags and change their clothes, Cloud, Tifa and Zack were walking down the street to the nearest ice cream stall while the blond watched the girl. She was chatting cheerfully with her brother, their conversation was muffled by the sounds of the other joyful students and it made Cloud think.

They had been so busy with final exams that Cloud hadn't found a time to have a serious conversation with Tifa. Zack had been nagging him about it with glares and short answers, but now it seemed everything was forgotten at the prospect of triple chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

Cloud shook his head. He was going to talk to Tifa soon. They still had a week until they went to Cissnei's house. He still had time.

"Cloud?" Tifa's voice caused him to snap from his thoughts.

"Sorry." He looked at her and saw her hand on his arm, making his cheeks turn pink.

Tifa followed his gaze and drew back her hand. "Sorry!"

"What's all the apologizing for?" Zack looked at them. "C'mon! The ice cream is waiting for us!" He took them both by the arm and pulled them towards his objective. "After all those exams, this is what I need!" He said, increasing his pace.

"Do you think we should pay Sephiroth a visit?" Tifa asked her brother while poking her strawberry flavoured treat with her spoon.

"He's leaving tomorrow..." He leaned back on his chair, resting after his well-deserved massive amount of ice cream. "Maybe we should."

They were interrupted. "Well, isn't this a happy coincidence..." They turned around and saw the two silver-haired brothers. "You three want to visit Sephiroth too?"

"Now that we know you two might be there, we'd better just call him instead." Zack replied, his eyes narrowing at them.

Yazoo looked at all three of the occupants of the table before his eyes stopped on Tifa, what he saw made him smile. "Something wrong, Lockhart?"

Cloud turned his eyes to Tifa and saw her grasping the table in front of her with both hands. "... Teef?"

Zack looked at Tifa and his eyes widened. "What...?" His words died in his throat. Two times in less than a week? What was happening with the taint?

Zack got up and pulled Tifa with him. "We have to get home." He said to Cloud. "Now." He emphasised when the blond simply stared at him.

"Why such a hurry? And I thought we were having a good time together..." Yazoo said mockingly while Loz laughed.

Cloud got up and shot a glare at them, which made Loz's laughter die in a cough. "What's your problem, blondie?" Loz demanded with a glare of his own.

Cloud turned his eyes away from them and helped Zack get Tifa onto her brother's back. "It's another episode?" Cloud whispered to Zack and received a nod in affirmation.

"I don't know what's happening, but we have to take her home and call Shalua." Zack straightened up with Tifa on his back and started to walk at a fast pace towards their house.

"Where are you going?" Yazoo asked with dare in his voice. "Are you going to leave us here?"

"Go to hell, damn bastard!" Everyone turned to Tifa upon her outburst.

With that, the silver-haired brothers were left standing there while Cloud and Zack hurried back to their house with Tifa on the latter's back.

Three hours later everything was under control again. Cloud, Zack, and Sephiroth were in Tifa's room keeping her company while Shalua examined her back.

When Tifa fell asleep, Shalua made to leave. "Everything is fine. Just let her rest."

"Wait!" Zack called after her, making her pause and turn around. "Something must be wrong with her. The taint isn't following the pattern any more."

"Maybe she's just stressed. The taint can overpower her when she's weak." Zack threw her a look. "Zack. I don't know what's wrong. I have done all I can to stop it, but she doesn't let us help her."

"Can we talk?" Cloud's voice made them turn to him. "I'd like to talk with you, Shalua."

The doctor looked at him with her good eye and crossed her arms. "You'll have to pay me for the extra hours."

"Fine." Cloud's reply was surprisingly quick and she was caught off guard.

Shalua glanced at the boys in the room and turned to the door. "Is it okay if we go to another room?" Cloud nodded and followed her.

Tifa stirred and opened her eyes. "Zack?"

"Yeah, it's me. How are you feeling?" Zack brushed away a few strands of hair from her forehead and smiled down at her.

"I'm fine." She looked around and her eyes fell on the long silver-haired man. "Sephiroth?"

"You had another episode." He replied.

She nodded in understanding and searched around the room. "Where's Cloud?"

"He's..." Zack spared a glance at Sephiroth and saw him nod. "He's with Shalua."

Tifa tensed and her eyes widened. "Did I-"

"No, don't worry." Zack hurried to stop her train of thought and smiled at her again. "They're talking."

Tifa relaxed a bit. "What are they talking about?"

Zack shook his head. "I don't know. He just asked Shalua to talk with her and then they went to another room."

Her eyes widened. "But what if-!"

"Would it really be that bad?" Tifa and Zack turned to Sephiroth. "He already knows almost everything and he's the one who endured the truth the best. Maybe it's a good thing that he hears everything." Sephiroth looked directly at Tifa. "Maybe you'll let him help with what you don't let us."

Tifa's head bowed in a silent apology.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 45.

LTS: "I'd hate to have to owe you something, but... can I?"

Aerith: "..." *smile* "Of course!"

LTS: *hugs Zack* "I hope this is enough..."

Zack: "You didn't have to do it, Lady." *hugs LTS back*

LTS: "You know I can't stand to see you sad. At least not since I saw the end of Crisis Core."

Zack: "... Don't remind me of that..."

Aerith: "Group hug!" *hugs Zack and LTS*

LTS: "Arggg! Noooo!" *dies from the contact with pink*

Zack: *looks at LTS's corpse* "... Aerith..."

Aerith: "Oh... She can't really be dead, can she!"

Zack: "I don't know... but don't try that again, okay?"

LTS's ghost: "Or stop wearing pink!"

Aerith: "No way!"

Zack: "... Aerith?"

Aerith: "You said I should wear pink every time we had a date, so I won't stop wearing it!"

Zack: "My angel..." *hugs Aerith*

LTS's ghost: "Yeah, and to hell with me, huh?" *rolls her eyes* "I'm still dead, you know?"

Aerith: *resurrects LTS* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading... and... tha-...tha-... Urgg... Thank you, Aerith." *enters the hug carefully avoiding contact with Aerith*

Aerith: *smile* "You're welcome!"

LTS: *to oodball* "Are you sure you don't want a hug?"

oodball167: *laughing* "You're crazy." *enters the group hug*

LTS: "I know!" *grin*

CIH! 07/04/2010 And that's how I started to be Aerith's friend! XD


	46. Shalua Rui

**A/N**: Chap 46, and the conversations have a plot... I finally snapped.

LTS: "Cloud, hug iceQueen."

Cloud: *hugs iceQueen* "Can't you ask something like a normal person?"

LTS: "What do you mean? You said I could simply ask, and that's what I did."

Cloud: "Did you have to be so blunt?"

LTS: "For PeAceLovEr I asked it slowly and you-"

Cloud: "You have no middle ground, huh?"

LTS: "..." *looks at Cloud and iceQueen while they are hugging* "You know what? I'm out of here. All of you are always complaining." *while she goes away* "iceQueen! You can stay all you want, okay? I'm gonna take a break. If someone bugs you, punch them in the face. I don't have the strength to control them any more."

iceQueen02: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything...**"

* * *

**Title**: Shalua Rui.

__

Cloud closed Tifa's door behind him and went to his bedroom with Shalua so they could talk privately. Shalua left her bag on Cloud's desk and sat on the chair near it while Cloud sat on his bed.

"What did you want to ask?" She said with her arms and legs crossed.

Cloud tried to swallow the lump in his throat. It felt wrong to talk about this without Tifa or Zack, but it was the only way he could get more answers. His elbows rested on his knees, his gaze remained on the door in front of him. Finally, he nodded to himself. Later, he would talk with Tifa, but for now, Cloud needed answers.

"Zack said something about a pattern." Cloud stated.

Shalua looked at him with her good eye. "Once a month." Cloud's gaze left the door and fell on the doctor. "It has something to do with the moon's gravity, I think. The taint becomes stronger at nights, especially when the moon is full. Tifa can't control it on her own during those times."

Cloud remembered her episodes. Tifa always looked up at the sky, searching for something. That was it? Was she looking for the moon? "But she had two episodes this week, and neither were even at night."

"Look, Tifa is going through this because she wants to." Shalua's brow furrowed. "If she let us help, we could prevent her attacks. This way, she has to keep her will in check every day, because if she wavers, the taint becomes stronger. She can have episodes if she isn't strong enough to stop it. I don't know what happened this week, but whatever it was, it seems that it troubled her enough to make the taint stronger than her." Shalua turned her eyes away from Cloud. "If she would let us help, she wouldn't have to worry about it any more."

Cloud looked at the woman. She seemed far too concerned for Tifa for this to only be a job. "Why are you helping Tifa?"

Shalua glanced briefly at the blond, but turned her gaze away again. "I... have a sister." The woman sighed. "Do you know anything about someone named Hojo?" Cloud nodded in response. "When I was little, Hojo kidnapped my sister and I. It didn't last long, though. When Tifa's parents escaped from the laboratory, they killed the guard of my cell and let me escape. I was able to rescue my sister, but Hojo and his experiments took my eye and left arm." Shalua saw the expression on Cloud's face and spoke before he could say anything. "I'm alive. I don't need any sympathy."

Cloud nodded in understanding. "Was your sister okay?"

She shook her head. "Hojo experimented on her, too." Her gaze fell to the floor. "She was okay until she fell into a coma two years ago."

"You two don't have the taint though, do you?" Cloud asked.

"No, those experiments were reserved for Tifa's parents and the other one with the taint." Shalua turned to Cloud. "That's all you wanted to know?"

He shook his head. "No, but I'll ask Tifa for the rest."

"She trusts you, huh?" Shalua smiled slightly and let her arms fall from where they were crossed over her chest to rest on her lap. "It took a whole year for her to let me help her, but in only three months you have accomplished more than anyone else." Cloud stared at her and she smiled wider. "You shouldn't worry about all this." Cloud raised an eyebrow, silently questioning what she meant. "What I mean is that you should forget all about the taint. Don't worry about it."

"... But I-" Shalua cut him off.

"I know you want to help her. And that's a good thing. I'm not asking you to stop caring about her. What I ask is to not let her taint stop you, to not let the pity or compassion cause you to waver in your crusade to find the truth."

Cloud thought about it. "You mean... To hell with time?"

"Something like that. If you want answers, go and get them. If you want to help her, go and help her. If she retreats into her shell, force your way in."

Cloud thought about it. "... Easier said than done."

"I know, but it's worth it to try, isn't it?" She smiled at him.

If it meant she would trust him, to give him answers so he could stop her pain, of course it was worth it to try.

"Now I think I should ask you, why do _you_ help Tifa?"

Cloud looked at her and saw her smirk. "I... She's my friend." Why did everyone like to tease him about this so much?

"Oh, of course." She shot a knowing look at him and he blushed. _'Am I that easy to read?'_ Cloud thought with a sigh. "Was that everything you wanted to ask me?"

Cloud's blush disappeared and he thought about it. "Do you know if Hojo is dead?"

"He is. I remember seeing Tifa's mother with his corpse at her feet before I escaped." She crossed her arms again. "Anything else?"

"How does Sephiroth know exactly when Tifa's having an episode?" It had been nagging at him that every time Tifa was having an episode, Sephiroth knew about it and called.

"Because he knows about the pattern. And when it's an unexpected episode, Zack has to call him."

"Zack has to call him? Why?"

"How else would I know when I have to come by?"

Cloud's eyebrows rose. "What?"

"Sephiroth was the one who hired me to treat Tifa. Didn't you know?"

Cloud shook his head. "I thought Zack was the one who hired you... But why didn't Zack hire you?"

She sighed. "Because Tifa wouldn't let him spend his money helping her, and he's too much of a softie when it comes to Tifa to go against her wishes. But Sephiroth is different from Zack, he's the one who hired me." She explained further. "I'm not a legal doctor, to be truthful. I work in secrecy and Sephiroth hired me to take care of Tifa, knowing that I'm the only one who knew about the taint beforehand." She paused a moment before answering an unasked question. "And don't even think about asking for a legal doctor. If the scientific community discovered a human capable of sprouting wings, just imagine what will happen." Shalua said with a threatening tone. "Well, talking about who pays who. You'll have to pay me for this hour."

"... Shalua?"

She chuckled. "Don't worry, I was kidding. You don't have to pay me any-"

"That's not it." Cloud cut her off this time. "I'd like to hire you." Shalua's eyes widened. She certainly wasn't expecting that. "Sephiroth is leaving for Midgar this summer."

"Don't worry about that, Sephiroth will still pay even if he's not here."

"I don't care, I want to do it." Cloud said, now more confident about it. "Zack asked me to take care of his sister and I'll do it. I want to."

Shalua was surprised by the boy's determination. "Okay then. I'll talk to Sephiroth about it."

"How much will it be?"

"How much can you give me?"

Cloud's regular income was about a thousand gil a month. With paying for Fenrir's gas, studies, and his part of the bills... "Is three hundred okay?"

She smiled. This boy was too good for his own good. "One hundred per visit then."

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 46.

iceQueen02: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *turns to Cloud* "Is she okay?"

Cloud: "I hope. This can get very crazy without someone to control it."

LTS: *from a distance* "So that's why you want me here!? Just to control this mess!? Urgg..." *approaches him* "I saved your asses by getting all of you out of your monster-and-lunatic-filled worlds, I put up with all of you, I give you all what you want and that's what I get!? Hell... The only ones who treat me nicely here are the reviewers, Sephiroth and Aerith! And Sephy and Aerith are supposed to be the bad guys!"

Cloud: "... Sorry..."

LTS: "Too late, Cloud." *hugs iceQueen* "Sorry about this... I didn't want to ruin your hug day. Blame that chocobo head for making me snap." *goes away* "R&R and thanks for reading."

Cloud: "Wait!"

iceQueen02: "... You should do something about this."

Cloud: "... I know."

CIH!! 09/04/2010 … I couldn't take it any more!


	47. A magic kiss

**A/N**: Chap 47. Thanks, hugs, and cookies to oodball167 for making this conversation!! ^3^

Aerith: "You shouldn't tell her that!"

Cloud: *sighs* "I already told Lady that I'm sorry! Isn't that enough?"

Sephiroth: "Even I know that when a woman feels disdained she can't forgive you so easily."

Zack: "Seph's right, buddy."

Sephiroth: *glaring at Zack* "Don't call me that, _puppy_. I dislike it."

oodball167: *enters the room* "Hi, guys! Have you seen Koudelka? We wanted to use the VR training room to kill some zombies."

Tifa: *grabbing oodball's shoulders and shaking him* "Thank Gaia! oodball we need your help! Cloud made LTS angry, she went off and now we can't find her!"

oodball167: *frowning* "What do you mean, 'went off'?"

Cloud: "She told me that we didn't do anything but complain, and that none of us, except Aerith and Sephiroth, treat her well. And then she stormed out of the room."

oodball167: "That's bad. Very bad." *scratches his neck* "Alright! Sephiroth, you're the only one frightening enough to be in charge until I return, so do it! And make the disclaimer!" *runs away* "I'll be looking for some help!"

Sephiroth: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Okay, new rule: if someone calls me Seph or Sephy I'll kill him. Or her."

* * *

**Title**: A magic kiss.

__

"Tifa?" Cloud entered her room and saw her alone in her bed. "Where are Zack and Sephiroth?"

"They left a while ago. Sephiroth had to go back to his house to pack his belongings for Midgar, and Zack went to his room." She didn't look at him, not even when he sat on the foot of her bed.

"Are you mad at me for talking with Shalua?" Cloud didn't look at her either.

"No." She shook her head. "I understand that you want to know more than what I told you, and besides me, she's the one with more answers."

"I didn't ask her what I really wanted to know, though." Tifa finally looked at him, wondering why he had held back. "I wanted to talk about it with you."

Her brows furrowed. "You know that I might not answer."

"But I trust you will." He replied honestly and waited until he saw her face soften a little in acceptance before asking slowly, observing her reactions to his words. "Will you tell me... the way... we can prevent the attacks?"

She clenched the sheets in her fists, but otherwise, she remained unaltered. "Why do you want to know?" He didn't respond. "Is it to know how to prevent them, or is it just to know me and the 'illness' better?"

Cloud's eyes darkened as he snapped. "Why do you do that?"

Cloud's sudden question confused Tifa. "What do you mean?"

" 'To know me and the 'illness'?' What's that supposed to mean? Why do you talk about it as if it's another person?"

"Because it's a part of me." She answered. "It's my other half."

Cloud narrowed his eyes at her, his gaze scolding her silently. "Stop that."

She locked eyes with him, and the look she saw there left her puzzled. "Stop what? I don't understand what you're talking about."

Cloud realised he needed to calm down if he wanted to get answers, so he took a deep breath, letting the faint sweet scent of the room fill him, and relaxed. "I'm sorry, we better talk about something else."

Tifa turned her head away and thought about what had happened up to that moment. She still didn't understand what had made him snap at her, but he really deserved to know after all he had been through because of her. "The way to prevent the taint from controlling me, is to satiate it. Once a week, I have to drink blood until it stops hurting."

Cloud was surprised at the change in her behaviour towards the question, but decided to not push his luck by trying to find out why she had changed her mind. "Then why don't you prevent them?"

"I... I don't want to live my life by sacrificing another's." Cloud gave her time to explain herself better. "To hold back the taint, the blood has to be the same throughout the four weeks of the month or it won't work. Zack and Sephiroth offered their blood, but it didn't work because fresh blood is needed." Cloud didn't interrupted. He just let her explain as far as she felt comfortable with. "Shalua discovered that the preserved blood didn't have the same effect as the fresh one, and the blood-bags only work when the taint is about to be unleashed."

"But why didn't they gave you their blood when you needed it?" If the only thing needed to prevent the episodes was to give her fresh blood once a week, either Zack or Sephiroth could do it. So why didn't they?

Tifa thought about what she had just said and laughed. Hysterically. A full-blown laugh that left Cloud speechless in astonishment.

Cloud looked at her as if she had sprouted a second head instead of wings. _'Has she lost it?'_ He thought. _'I knew she couldn't be that perfect... She's crazy.'_ He said to himself with regret.

When Tifa was finally able to talk again she explained. "I'm sorry, I just... I never thought about this too much. But since that day at the well, I've realised it's funny... I am more of a vampire than I am a mons-" She stopped suddenly, her eyes wide for what she was about to say. _'No... I _am_ a monster... I-' _Her thoughts were stopped by Cloud's voice.

"Yeah, little vampire Teef with wings of an angel. Maybe next Halloween we should just let the taint control you so you could scare kids by making your wings move."

That made Tifa cry.

Her eyes filled with tears that escaped from her fiercely closed lids, finally running down her cheeks, and falling on her lap while she tried to dry her face with her hands.

"Teef?" Cloud leaned forward. "I'm sorry... Did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head. "Not at all..." She wasn't crying from pain, or sadness this time.

It had been his words. With his innocent joke, he had proven to her that he would be at her side, that he accepted her unconditionally, and how much he cared about her. It had broken her. All of the things she thought she would never have, all of the things Zack promised to her, all of the things she dreamt of, was in front of her. As if everyone could have them, even her.

Cloud didn't know how much Tifa cherished his joke.

Cloud didn't know how much Tifa had waited to hear those words again.

But when Tifa leaned forward and kissed his cheek, he remembered.

And the little girl looking at his house made sense now.

"...I-... I'm sorry." Cloud embraced her. "... I'm so sorry..."  
__________________________________

**A/N**: End of chap 47.

oodball167: "So, now she's really angry, and no one knows where she is. I have a few fellas from my times as a Blade Runner looking for her. Can you think of something more to do?"

PeAceLovEr 12: "Well, I could ask Altair and Ezio to look for her."

oodball167: *a drop of sweat falls from his forehead* "Tell them we want her ALIVE and UNHARMED, okay?"

PeAceLovEr 12: "No problem!"

oodball167: "Oh! Cloud and the others can't be left on their own. I kind of took command, but there's too many of them for me alone. Do you mind helping me with them until we find LTS?"

PeAceLovEr 12: *grinning* "Hell yeah! Can I make the disclaimer?" *oodball nods* "**Disclaimer: LTS doesn't own anything!**"

oodball167: "Read & Review. And if someone finds LTS, please, try to persuade her to return."

Zerith is Happiness! Ouch! Err... I mean: Cloti is Happiness! 10/04/2010 I'm going to die, I know it!


	48. Released memories

**A/N**: Chap 48... PeAceLovEr 12 and oodball167 are trying to find me using 2 assassins... *sighs* I'm dead, man... Well... If the one to kill me is Altair or Ezio with Altair's clothes...I don't mind that too much! :D I'd die happy! (Thanks, hugs, and lasagna for PeAceLovEr 12 for making this conversation! And to oodball167 as well for helping. You guys are awesome! ^3^)

PeAceLovEr 12: "oodball! I brought Ezio and Altair!!" *both assassins ready their weapons*

oodball167: *sweat drop* "Oh... I see." *sighs* "Mr. Ezio, Mr. Altair... I'll tell you this only once: We want you to FIND, mind that I didn't say anything concerning kill, FIND LTS! Got it? Or shall I call my friends Theókoles & Crixus to beat some sense into your heads?"

Ezio: "You know calling us just to find a ragazza is not our job. Our laboro is to assassinate templars...  
PeAceLovEr 12: "Shut up! Auditore! You don't want me to tell everyone including your wife that you're a woma-"  
Ezio: *covering PeAceLovEr's mouth* "That's enough little ragazza! Alright we'll do what you want...."  
PeAceLovEr 12: "Here's the plan, Ezio, since you have more weapons than Altair, you go to the Devil May Cry world. She might be at Lady's place or at Dante's shop. Watch out for the demons, though. Altair you go to Kingdom Hearts world. She could be hiding with Kairi, or Sora, OR Roxas, just beat the crap out of those Heartless. And one more thing. I want LTS alive AND unharmed, got that? If I see a single cut or bruise on her, I'll send you guys back to where you came from!"  
oodball167: "And note: this is a FINDING mission, not a KILLING one like you two usually do."  
Ezio/Altair: "Mission accepted. **Disclaimer: Neither LTS, oodball167 nor PeAceLovEr 12 owns anything.**" *they vanish into thin air*  
oodball167: "Do you think they understood?"  
PeAceLovEr 12: "I hope so." *turns to oodball* By the way, who the hell are Theókoles and Crixus?"

* * *

**Title**: Released memories.

__

A little girl with a sky blue dress ran towards him. "What are we going to play today?" She exclaimed excitedly when she was in front of him. Her raven hair and red eyes, sparkling with anticipation.

"Your parents won't get mad?" Cloud heard his own voice, but a lot higher pitched than he remembered.

"I asked mom and she said I could stay until the sun reaches the highest peak of Mount Nibel." She said with a smile. "So, what are we gonna play?"

Suddenly, the girl disappeared in a flash of light and returned again, this time she was on his right.

"You're my only friend. The other kids don't want to play with me because they don't like my eyes." She said with a sad tone.

"I like your eyes." Cloud looked at his feet, embarrassed. "They're pretty."

The girl squealed in delight and hugged him, making his young heart flutter. "You're so nice!"

"Tifa! It's time to go home!" A tall woman said with a strange accent.

The girl let go of him and looked him in the eyes. "You'll be here tomorrow, right?"

He nodded. "I'll always be here. I would never leave you."

She smiled and kissed his cheek. "Mom always says a kiss can seal a destiny." She said grinning. "I don't know what that means, though." She turned away. "See you tomorrow then!" The raven-haired girl ran to the woman as the two entered their house, the two-story house besides his. Just before the door closed, the girl turned and waved. "Bye, Cloud!"

He waved back. "Goodbye, Tifa."

__

Tifa embraced Cloud back and pulled him towards her while he put his arms around her ribcage, his head buried in the crook of her neck. "I'm sorry, Tifa." His tone and actions made him look like a lost child in his mother's arms.

Tifa rubbed circles on his back with one hand while the other lost itself in Cloud's hair, trying to soothe his pain. "It's okay, Cloud..." She was confused and concerned for his sudden change. "... What is it?" She asked when he seemed to be calmer.

"I... remembered." Tifa's eyes widened and her hands stopped. "... Nibelheim... You and your... parents."

Tifa didn't move a muscle, afraid to break something intangible if she did anything. "... Why now?" She asked under her breath.

When she saw him back in school when Zack introduced them, she had convinced herself that he wasn't _her_ Cloud, her childhood friend. But when he asked about the picture Tifa realised the truth. To a point, she had been relieved that he didn't remembered, that he would be safe from her past. She only needed to keep him from figuring it out on his own, but that got harder and harder as they continued to live together and as he kept trying so desperately to break her shell.

"You kissed me. I remember. I promised you I wouldn't leave you and you kissed my cheek. I failed you... I went away." Cloud spoke in short sentences, as if he was reliving the events as he described them.

Tifa smiled. She knew he had left for a good reason. Even if she missed him, he had to go. "It's okay, Cloud. You had to leave. It wasn't your fault."

"I'm sorry."

Tifa took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her, just as he had done with her before. "Hey, it's okay, Cloud." She said to him with a smile on her face. "Do you remember the picture? The one I have in my room in Gongaga?" He nodded and as he remembered it, Cloud understood.

She didn't blame him for going away. She knew he didn't mean to leave her. That's why she was smiling at his house. "Thank you." She cocked her head. "For not... forgetting me."

"You didn't, either." Tifa said to him. "Did you?"

Cloud thought about it. Now everything started to make sense. Why else had he felt the urge to get to know her? To be by her side? To never let her go? "I guess I didn't forget you either."

At least his heart didn't.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 48.

Tifa: *enters the room* "Cloud said he wants to help find LTS."

PeAceLovEr 12: *hugs Tifa* "Hmm... We could use AVALANCHE to help out."

Tifa: *hugs PeAceLovEr* "I hope we find LTS soon... Sephiroth is starting to get mad..."

oodball167: "Where the hell did you even come up with that plan?"

PeAceLovEr 12: *from Teef's arms* "Dunno, it just popped into my head. Let's just wait for the two to come back."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: The authors mentioned in the first disclaimer don't own anything.**"

oodball167: "R&R and thanks for reading."

Ezio Auditore is a womanizer (for god's sake he is!!!) Oh! And cloti is happiness! 10/04/2010


	49. Deal

**A/N**: Chap 49. I'm back. Well, sort of.

Leon: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** What are you going to do now?"

LTS: "I don't know yet."

Leon: "They need you there."

LTS: "That's the problem. Am I just an authority figure? Besides, it's not like they will miss me. Everyone has their own place there; Cloud has Tifa, Zack has Aerith... and the list goes on. They have each other... They'll be okay without me. But I..."

Leon: "You miss them."

LTS: *glare* "That wasn't a question, was it?."

Leon: "It's the truth."

LTS: *sigh* "Yeah, it is."

Leon: "Then what are you going to do?"

LTS: "I don't know."

Leon: "You, too, have a place there, Lady." *goes away*

* * *

**Title**: Deal.

__

After Cloud had calmed down from his epiphany, he sat where Zack used to; on the bed, on Tifa's left, with his back resting on the bedposts and pillows.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Cloud finally asked.

"I thought it was better this way... To start over again." Tifa looked at him. "It was easier and simpler if you didn't remember anything, and I only found out that you where _that_ Cloud when you asked about the picture..."

He lowered his eyes to the mattress. "Tifa?" She made a humming noise to prove she was listening. "I... I promised I would be with you, I won't leave you." He said with more confidence. "We could try to prevent the episodes using my blood."

"Cloud-"

He stopped her refusal. "Teef. I want to do it."

"Cloud, Sephiroth and Zack tried already. It's not that simple." She said shaking her head.

"Why isn't it?" He wasn't going to drop the subject. "Why did they stop?" When she didn't answer, he made his own guess. "You made them stop."

"The taint." Tifa hugged her legs. "When I'm drinking the blood, the taint controls me and makes me become violent so the one feeding it will leave. The first time Zack tried to prevent the taint, I cut him with a knife across his cheek." Her head bowed, making her hair fall over her face. "If he didn't have such quick reflexes, I might have killed him instead of only cutting him."

Cloud tried to act as casually as he could about the topic. It wouldn't do Tifa any good if he became overdramatic and overworried about it as well, and as Shalua said, he couldn't let sympathy stop him. "And what happened with Sephiroth?"

"... I stabbed him in the arm."

Cloud looked at her. "Stabbed? Another knife?"

"The same one he used to cut himself to bring the blood out."

"Oh." Cloud looked at her. "But you didn't attack me when I helped you." Tifa's head rose and her eyes fixated on his. "You didn't try to hurt me."

She nodded in agreement. "But I don't know why I didn't."

"Let me help you." She was about to refuse again, but he cut her off. "Just an attempt. If you hurt me, then we'll stop, but if you don't, I'll give you my blood from now on."

Tifa considered it. He wasn't going to stop until she let him try to help her. If the next time she hurt him he'd stop trying, and if she didn't she wouldn't have to endure the pain any more. She nodded at him.

"Is that a yes?" He asked hopefully.

"Yes. But if I hurt you, you'll stop trying to persuade me to let you help me with this."

He didn't have any plans to stop even if she didn't let him, but at least for now she would let him help her willingly. "Deal."

Now that he had her permission to help her, he tried to get more answers.

"The day I met Shalua, when you yelled from the other side of the door, Zack was there with you, what happened?"

"Zack was making me drink his blood to stop the taint, and I became violent."

"Making? He forces you?"

"He has to when I lose control."

"But what about that day at the well? You lost control and you didn't-"

"I don't know why that happened, Cloud." She sighed. "I don't know why it's different with you."

He knew she was growing tired of the subject. "We can leave this for another day if you want to. This must be hard for you..."

She shook her head and smiled at him. "I'm okay." Tifa let out a breath and locked eyes with him. "I'm okay, really. It's good to talk about it once in a while." Tifa smiled at him, proving her point. "But it's getting late and we should go to sleep." Cloud looked at the clock on Tifa's desk and his eyes widened. They really needed to get some sleep.

Cloud got up from the bed and after saying goodnight, left for his bedroom. Once he arrived, he lied on his bed while his brain quickly replayed the events of the the last few hours.

_'Tifa had another episode, Shalua knows about Tifa's parents, who saved her from Hojo, who is definitively dead, who experimented on Shalua's sister who is in a coma. The taint becomes stronger with the moon and the only way to control it is by making Tifa drink blood once a week, but the taint makes her become violent so the episodes can't be prevented.'_ Cloud sighed. This had been the weirdest day of his life.

He tried to sleep, but his brain was still reeling. _'And I remembered that I knew Tifa when she kissed me.'_ His chain of thought stopped. '_Tifa... kissed me...'_ He blushed and shook his head. _'She only kissed my cheek. Just like Priscilla did. It's not important.'_ His brow furrowed in thought.

Because it wasn't important... was it?

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 49.

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** They're searching for you."

LTS: "Seriously?"

Kou: "oodball and PeAceLovEr are trying to maintain order."

LTS: "Wait. You're serious? They're really searching?"

Kou: "You thought they wouldn't?"

LTS: "... I didn't expect they would mix oodball and PeAceLovEr in this."

Kou: "And they didn't stop there."

LTS: "What?"

Kou: "Listen, this place isn't safe. That's why you got me out of here in the first place, isn't it? I know you can defend yourself, but wouldn't it be easier to just go back and talk to them?"

LTS: "..."

Kou: "R&R and thanks for reading. And LTS?"

LTS: "Yes?"

Kou: "... Sorry. About everything."

LTS: "It's okay, Koudelka." *smile* "I shouldn't have snapped."

CIH!! 11/04/2010 I guess I'll have to go back... I owe that to the reviewers.  
(Leah Conner, If you're reading this, pease, try to contact me!! I need to talk to you!! T^T My email is in my profile.)


	50. Ice cream and

**A/N**: 50 chapters! Incredible! Thanks to oodball167 and PeAceLovEr 12 for helping me to make this mini-story in the conversations!! (Hugs and steak tartar to oodball167 for making this A/N! ^3^)

PeAceLovEr 12: "How did you managed to make them stay quiet?"

oodball167: "Movies. Did you know Sephiroth cries when he watches '_Bambi_'?"

PeAceLovEr 12: "Really?"

oodball167: "He muttered something about 'Mother'."

Altair: *enters the room* "I've found her. She was talking with a man named Leon. I followed her and found the objective in a horror world with a strange girl named Koudelka."

oodball167: "So she was in Koudelka's world?" *the assassin nods* "Then why didn't you bring LTS here?"

Altair: "They convinced her to return here. I think letting her return on her own will be the best."

PeAceLovEr 12: "I never thought you were so... kind."

oodbal167: "Yes! Altair, you accomplished your mission. Permission to leave, granted. And the same goes for Ezio, you'll tell him, right?" *Altair nods and goes away*

Crixus: *enters the room with a shield and a gladius* "Seems like I won't have a decent fight here."

oodball167: "If I were you, I would be more concerned about Batiatus finding out about you and Lucretia."

Crixus: "Don't talk about it! If Dominus knows he'll rip off my ** and make me eat it before severing my **ing head from my body."

oodball167: "Watch your mouth! This is a T rated fic! We aren't in Capua." *sighs* "Tell the others I want to talk to them, will you?"

Crixus: "Sure." *goes away*

PeAceLovEr 12: "**Disclaimer: We don't own anything!**"

* * *

**Title**: Ice cream and...

__

The next morning, Cloud woke up with a much clearer mind. He still had a lot of questions, but at least, he knew that now he could ask them, and that made him feel lighter.

Cloud went to the kitchen expecting an eventful breakfast with his two friends and their guardian as had been the case every other day, but when he opened the door, only Tifa and Zack stared back at him.

Zack gave him one of his trademark grins. "Morning!" He greeted cheerfully.

Tifa smiled at him. "Good morning, Cloud."

"Morning." He looked at them. "Where's Angeal?" They raised their eyebrows at him and looked at each other, making Cloud feel that he was missing something. "What?"

Tifa turned to him. "Angeal left yesterday, don't you remember? I'm eighteen now, so Zack and I don't need a guardian, and this summer you and Zack won't either, so he won't be living with us any more."

__

For the next few days, Cloud and Tifa spent their time talking about their deal and sharing the news with Zack. After his enthusastic reaction when Tifa and Cloud told him that she had accepted his help, Zack dragged them out of the house to celebrate the good news.

"Three super special ice cream cups!" Zack said to the waitress at the ice cream parlor.

"Zack..." Tifa approached him and put her hand on his arm. "Ice cream again?"

Zack's brows furrowed in thought. Every time they had to celebrate something -be it a good grade on a hard exam, a victory for his basketball team, Cloud being able to wake up before him (Tifa still didn't understand that one yet), Cloud and himself doing something in the kitchen without setting it on fire, or every time Tifa made cold noodles- Zack always made them eat ice cream to celebrate it.

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." Zack turned to the waitress. "Only one ice cream cup, but I want it with hot chocolate on top!" He paid for it and went to sit at one of the tables.

"Zack..." Tifa sighed at her brother's gluttony and turned to Cloud. "At least he'll be the only one eating it." She said to Cloud with a resigned smile while they followed Zack and waited for him to finish his treat.

They were chatting and laughing when Tifa spotted something at the other side of the street. She kept her eyes on it, the conversation forgotten long ago.

"Tifa?" Zack asked her when she didn't respond to his question. "Tifa, are you okay?"

Tifa snapped out of her daze and looked at the boys, the concern clearly visible in their eyes. "I'm fine." She smiled at them and got up. "Mind if I go outside a moment?" She didn't leave them time to answer. When they realised what had happened, she was already out on the street.

Cloud and Zack watched her through the glass. She was on the other side of the street, peering through one of the shop windows. She seemed to be searching for something, but when she didn't find it, she turned around, crossed the street again, entered the ice cream parlor and returned to her seat.

"Sorry, I was just curious." She said sheepishly.

Cloud looked at the stores she had been looking at. There was a clothing shop and a jewelry shop in the area she had been looking at. "What did you wanted from those shops?" Cloud asked before he could stop himself. Tifa wasn't the type of girl to go shopping to spend money on gold jewelry or pretty dresses.

Tifa blushed a little. "Oh, it's just that in two days we'll be leaving for Costa del Sol and I don't have a swimsuit, so I was looking if they had any in that shop."

Cloud and Zack's eyes widened. "Two days!?" Zack said in panic.

"Only two days?" Cloud's question was calmer, but his voice held a hint of panic as well.

Tifa glanced between them and answered tentatively. "... Yes?"

Zack shoved the rest of his treat down his throat and grabbed Cloud and Tifa's arms, pulling them along as he ran back to their home.

"Zack!" Tifa screamed behind him, not knowing what was wrong.

Cloud turned his head to her. "We haven't prepared anything, and Zack and I didn't do any of our summer break homework yet!"

Tifa sighed while she ran behind Zack, while he continued to yank them along by their arms. This was going to be a long day...

As she expected, the rest of the day and almost the whole night where spent doing homework, or rather, copying homework since Tifa had already finished hers, they asked her for help. It wasn't much, but it still kept them awake until almost six in the morning. Zack and Cloud had insisted that Tifa didn't have to stay up with them, but she stayed to help anyway.

After sleeping until ten, Tifa received a call from Aerith. It seemed that Yuffie and Vincent were officially a couple now, and she felt lonely because Yuffie was always with her _boyfriend_ -and how much Yuffie loved to hear that word- so Aerith asked Tifa if she wanted to hang out.

"Here we are..." Zack said with his hands on his hips. "Now what?"

When Aerith had heard about Tifa's lack of a swimsuit, she had proposed to help her find one. But since Tifa didn't had much money, Zack offered to buy it for her, which in Aerith's mind meant he had to come along. And since they didn't want Cloud to be left alone in the house -and Zack didn't want to be the only boy shopping with girls- they dragged him along.

So there they were. An embarrassed Tifa, an equally embarrassed Cloud, an oblivious Zack, and an excited Aerith in the middle of the street, looking for women's clothing shops.

* * *

**A/N**: End of Chap 50.

PeAceLovEr 12: "... and when she come back Cloud will give her the surprise. What do you think?"

Cloud: "It's a great idea... Was it yours?"

PeAceLovEr 12: "I helped, but the idea came from oodball."

Aerith: "Aww... That's so sweet of you!" *hugs oodball and kisses his cheek*

Tifa: "Yes!" *hugs oodball and kisses his cheek*

oodball167: *hugs both back and grins* "I could die happy, now."

PeAceLovEr 12: "**Disclaimer: Neither me, oodball167 nor LTS own anything!**"

Zack: *sends a death glare at oodball* "Read & Review..."

Cloud: *sends a death glare at oodball* "Thanks for reading..."

PeAceLovEr 12: *sweat drop* "They're getting scary...."

oodball167: *laughing* "Don't be so jealous!"

ZIH!! 14/04/2010 LTS: "cloti is happiness!! oodball, you'll never change..."


	51. EPIC

**A/N**: Chap 51, Special chapter. So... yeah, all of these conversations are a way to celebrate the 50th chap of Nibelheim (I didn't know what was going to happen in this one until oodball167 sent it to me... Honest.)

Cloud: "... LTS, I'm really sorry... Can you forgive me?"

LTS: *smile* "Of course. I'm sorry, too... I shouldn't have snapped." *hugs Cloud*

Cloud: *hugs back* "At peace?"

LTS: *nods* "Yeah..."

Cloud: "Okay." *Cloud-like smile* "Here..." *gives LTS a box*

LTS: "What's this?"

Cloud: "A gift."

LTS: *opens the box* "A tape recorder..."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LTS doesn't own anything.** Just push 'play'."

LTS: "Okay..." *LTS pushes 'play' on the tape recorder*

* * *

Tape Recorder:_**  
**__**Don't Call Me Short**: Hey! I just wanted to let you know that I love your story! I haven't gotten to read all of it yet but I love what I've read so far! You're a great writer so keep it up! ~spaz :-P**  
**_

_**Tifa4Buhay**: Hi LTS! Your story, Nibelheim is really a big hit around here!! Thank you for never abandoning any story!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!! AND DON'T FORGET TO UPDATE!! BYE! Cloti is for life!**  
**_

_**Fragmentsofmemories16**: Awesome work LadyTeefStrife! You are very dedicated to your stories, and it's obvious that you put a lot of heart into them. You come up with witty and entertaining A/N's as well. Here's a lovely rose ' - - ' - - for such a lovely writer (and don't worry - it's not pink). We readers truly appreciate all your efforts, so here's a "Thank you" for all you've done. :)_

_**-Angelus-Delapsus-**: HEYA! I REALLY enjoy reading your work. I hope you continue for a long time. I also really enjoy talking to you through PM's. Even though I don't know you except for through PMs you seem like a totally great person! Keep up the good work and good luck! ~aideen_

_**fantasydreamer94**: Do your best! Effort always end up as a reward. At least, that's what I heard from a wise man...Just keep moving forward!_

_**-ladynatashaeagleye-**: Keep up with your good job!!_

_**Xx. Nights 'x heart. xX**: Keep going and never give up._

_**Gaorie**: LOVE THE A/N!! Keep up the good work! Lol. Good luck :)_

_**stuffedmallows**: You're such a good writer! I love your fanfictions seriously! I really wish you luck with it and keep up the good luck! :D Have a nice day :P_

_**FinalFantasyFreak92**: I love your writing and hope you continue to write. Even when this story is over. (hopefully that won't be soon though) Keep Writing!!! JoY_

_**A Morning Star**: Thank you so much for writing your stories; I know that a lot of time goes into them, a LOT of time, and it's pretty daunting when most people have critical eyes. But I'd like to thank you for keeping me entertained in the late hours of the night and letting me escape into a ready made world, even if it's at the expense of my microbiology class at seven in the morning! =[" -Amorningstarr_

_**Leah Conner**: Amazing story. A perfect combination of compassion and witty humor. It has deep characters with equally deep relationships intertwined to creat a masterpiece. They slowly learn that trust can conquer fear and love can heal the past. Each character has charisma and heart that could only be created by an author with just as much heart as they do._

___**Amaranthos: **I'm absolutely loving the story. It's crazy, wild, unexpected, there's romance and angels popping out. Lol. All in all, this is an incredible story. A definite must read if you want to know about the different acting characters and great pairings. Great fic, i love it especially because of Tifa and Cloud. As you would say LTS, cloti is happiness - CIH._

_**6jrz422**: I'd just like to congratulate you on your 50th chapter, it shows how dedicated you are to this story. I'm sure everyone is glad that NLiN is still going strong with quick updates and an engaging plot. I'd just like to extend my beta'ing services to whatever else you'd like beta'd. I look forward to reading more about NLiN as well as any other stories you feel like sending my way._

_**PeAceLovEr 12**: Greetings LTS! Normal Life In Nibelheim rocks! Fast update, cool storyline and hilarious conversations!! You're a very great writer and a very great person, I might don't know you but I DO know you're a nice person from inside and outside (I learn that from our PM conversations). Hope you continue your stories and don't stop updating 'till its over! More to come and Good Luck! PeAceLovEr 12_

_**oodball167**: You are a great writer, with an amount of imagination, talent, and intuition. Able to turn what could have been an usual high school fic into something much more complex and adult. It's admirable. So, keep up with your amazing energy, your good job and your crazy ideas. Yours, oodball167._

_**Lauresh / Raptured Heart / Srtª Caroline / sage / Gonkinator / Syarrah . indonesia / SymphonyOfDestruction / iceQueen02 / City of Dis / Draconic / absolutedisaster13 / Randomzzz**: Please, don't stop to do such a wonderful work!_

*the tape recorder stops*

* * *

Cloud: "R&R and thanks for reading... Even if this wasn't a normal chapter." *looks at LTS* "Are you okay?"

LTS: *sniff* "… No..." *sniff*

Cloud: "I- I'm sorry! I didn't mean to make you cry! I'm really so-" *LTS hugs him and drags him to the reviewers room*

LTS: *crying* "I LOVE YOU ALL!!"

Everyone: "Come here!" *massive group hug*

CIH!! 14/04/2010 I... I wasn't expecting that. Guys... all of you are sooo awesome... I cried when I read it the first time, and my eyes still water every time I read it. I... I love you all. I can't believe this! But before I start crying again, I want to give special thanks to 6jrz422 for being such a wonderful beta-reader. I couldn't be doing this without his help. And I want to thank oodball167 and PeaceLovEr 12 too for plotting this behind my back Xp Seriously though, thank you, to the both of you. I don't know what to say... This... This is just incredible.

This story started in my brain as a normal high school fic, thanks to an AWESOME idea Amaranthos sent to me when I asked for requests. From there, I twisted the plot to no end (I hope you aren't mad at me for that, Amaranthos) and it came out with Tifa sprouting wings, being hated, suffering child abuse, and drinking blood. And that is only her part of the story! I really thought that I was crazy when I decided to start this one, but I decided to keep at it because it was important to me. Then, the first reviews arrived and I couldn't believe that someone actually liked it! Nibelheim. My little baby. My special fic. The most heart-made fic that I'm writing, and probably that I'll ever write. I can't believe it.

And then, the A/N of chapter 46 went crazy and ended up with me snapping at Cloud. And when I asked for help, oodball and PeAceLovEr accepted without a second thought. They helped me sort this thing out and even prepared all of this without me being aware of it! And then all of you guys, all the reviewers... You all have my back too, huh? ;) I love you all. Hell, if I could, I would give each and everyone of you a hug so tight you couldn't breathe! X3

Well, I think I'll quit my rambling... I'm sure I'm boring you all with this. Besides, this isn't even a chapter. (Some people must be hating me right now for only updating with an A/N... Well, I have my Desert Eagle to fight against the flames! XD If I've survived in Koudelka's world, I can do this.) … Yeah, I'll shut up now.

A very special thanks to everyone who is mentioned in this massive A/N (no particular order):

**6jrz422****  
oodball167  
PeAceLovEr 12  
Amaranthos  
fantasydreamer94  
Tifa4Buhay  
Raptured Heart  
iceQueen02  
Lauresh  
-ladynatashaeagleye-  
FinalFantasyFreak92  
A Morning Star  
-Angelus-Delapsus-  
Fragmentsofmemories16  
Gaorie  
Don't Call Me Short  
stuffedmallows  
City of Dis  
Draconic  
absolutedisaster13  
Randomzzz  
Xx. Nights 'x heart. xX  
SymphonyOfDestruction  
Leah Conner**

And to those who I couldn't respond to because of their anonymity (no particular order):

**Srtª Caroline  
sage  
Gonkinator**_**  
Syarrah . indonesia**_

+200 Reviews!! Thanks to everyone!!_**  
**_


	52. Skin

**A/N**: Chap 52. (A/N made by LTS, fantasydreamer94, oodball167, and PeAceLovEr 12... This is getting crazy, and I love it.)

Cloud: "Lady..."

LTS: *from the reviewers room* "I said no!"

Zack: "C'mon, Lady!"

LTS: "No!"

fantasydreamer94: *yawns* "Well, her decision is clear..."

Cloud: *sighs* "Now what?"

Zack: *shrug* "oodball is with Kou in the training room, and PeAceLovEr-"

LTS: "PeAceLovEr is with me too and I won't come out of here!"

Cloud: "Lady, you can't stay with the reviewers forever..."

LTS: "I don't see why not."

Zack: *sigh* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** Anyone have a solution to this?"

fantasydreamer94: *scratches head* "Not really..."

* * *

**Title**: Skin.

__

Aerith took the lead of the group and scanned the area. "Okay, there are three shops we have to look in over here and one more over there," she stood on her toes to point over the other people's head in the general direction of the shop. "but that one will be our plan Z."

"Plan Z?" Zack asked while picking up his pace to catch up with Aerith.

When he caught up to her, she answered. "That shop is a sports shop. I'm sure they'll have swimsuits, but first we'll try the nicer ones before having to surrender to the practical ones. So that shop will be our last option."

"Aerith," Tifa called out to the other girl, causing her to turn around. "Why don't we try that shop first? I only need a swimsuit, nothing flashy."

Aerith's face had turned into one of disbelief by the time Tifa stopped.

"You're not serious, are you?" Aerith strode with a face of determination towards Tifa. "We're going to find you the perfect bikini! We can't leave that body of yours in the shadows, can we?"

Tifa's cheeks burned. "What!?" Her protest had turned into a shriek and she forced herself to calm down. After taking a few breaths, Tifa tried to reason with her friend. "Aerith, we're looking for a swimsuit, not a bikini. The sports shop will do."

Aerith was about to protest again when Zack cut her off. "Aerith, come here." He took her hand and with his other one he tugged lightly on Tifa's shoulder, instructing her to turn around.

Reluctantly, Tifa turned around, which made her face Cloud.

When Cloud realised what Zack was going to do, he took Tifa's hands in his and drew closer to her until his face was hovering near the right side of hers. When he was close enough, he whispered in her ear. "Stay still and don't worry Teef." She nodded weakly in response.

Zack lifted the hem of Tifa's button up vest on her back and slowly trapped Aerith's hand between Tifa's skin and his own hand. "... Tifa?" He asked when he felt her stiffen under the unexpected contact.

"... I'm fine." Tifa replied while squeezing Cloud's hands.

Aerith looked up at Zack, and he answered the silent question clearly written in her eyes. "It's okay, you'll understand soon." Aerith raised her head and searched in his eyes, but eventually gave up and turned her eyes to her trapped hand on Tifa's back when she didn't find what she was looking for.

Aerith hadn't found any of the normal traits she associated with the cheerful dark-haired boy. Not a trace of his cheerful smile, or his teasing smirk. His eyes had darkened and lost their glow, the one she always saw there. Instead, the only thing she found was a sad smile and sympathy in his eyes.

Aerith watched Zack and her hands disappear under the fabric of Tifa's vest, slowly rising up her back. The fabric blocked the view, but as Zack's hand moved upwards, she could feel something that reminded her an awful lot like scars. When Zack stopped, she let her fingertips explore Tifa's back. "Are they from...?" When she saw Tifa's nod, Aerith's question died in her throat._ '… From when she fell off the well?'_ Letting her hand fall from its place on Tifa's back, she embraced her friend from behind. "... I'm sorry... I shouldn't have..."

Tifa let go of one of Cloud's hand and put her it over Aerith's. "You didn't know, Aerith."

Aerith shook her head where it rested between Tifa's shoulder-blades. "I... I promise, I'll find you the best swimsuit in all of Nibelheim."

Tifa laughed softly and nodded. "Okay." As she let go of Cloud, Tifa turned around in her friend's arms to embrace Aerith back. "Someday, when the scars fade and I can wear a bikini, I want you to find it for me, okay?" She said while leaning back to see Aerith's face.

Aerith nodded and when she raised her head, she had a bright smile on her face. "Deal!" They let go of each other and Aerith's smile transformed into a slight smirk. "But then you won't be able to protest when I make you wear the sexiest bikini I'll find."

Tifa laughed and nodded. "Okay, deal."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 52.

Zack: "... No one?"

fantasydreamer94: "How about we just blow up the wall? That way the reviewers room will be the whole house and LTS could talk with all of us without having to stop writing."

Cloud: "... It's a good idea... But I think blowing up the wall is a bit too-" *the wall disappears*

LTS: "This is a dream world, we don't need to demolish anything." *turns to fantasydreamer94* "Man... that was a great idea!" *smile*

fantasydreamer94: "Don't sweat it." *hangs a high five but LTS ignores it* "Uhh...YEAH!"

LTS: "C'mon, everyone! Go explore the house!" *grin*

fantasydreamer94: "Yeah...I was getting a bit tired of being in separate houses..."

oodball167: *exits the VR room" "Did I miss something?"

PeAceLovEr 12: "Just the start of the real craziness... But at least we'll all be together."

LTS: "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything.** I hope no one gets lost..." *looks around* "Where's Kou?"

oodball167: "In the VR room, I broke a few more skulls than her."

LTS: "... I better go see her, she must be depressed now."

PeAceLovEr 12: "Read and review!"

oodball167: "Thanks for reading."

Cloud: *glares at fantasydreamer94* "..."

fantasydreamer94: "... Cloud, dude, just chill with those staring eyes! I like Tifa, okay? LTS likes you but Tifa and her are good friends. We should just get along, right?"

Cloud: "..." *sigh* "You're right. Sorry."

fantasydreamer94: "Don't worry, I like you, too."

Cloud: "What?"

fantasydreamer94: "Nothing!"

CIH!! 17/04/2010 fantasydreamer94: "Yep! I am NOT gay. Let's get that straight. o_O"


	53. Bet

**A/N**: Chap 53. A short one to cure myself of my writer's block.

LTS: "Cloud, will you hug Leah Conner, please?"

Cloud: *stares at LTS* "Who are you?"

LTS: "What?"

Cloud: "Since when are you so polite when you ask for things?"

LTS: "Are you calling me rude?"

Cloud: "Yes." *sees Lady's glare* "I mean..." *LTS gets up* "Wait! I'm sorry, okay?"

LTS: "Are you going to give that hug?"

Cloud: "...Yeah." *hugs Leah Conner*

LTS: "... I'm going out. **Disclaimer: I don't own anything...** I need a hug, too."

Genesis: *escapes his retention cell* "Embrace me."

LTS: *while running away* "Get away from me!"

* * *

**Title**: Bet.

__

When they entered the sports shop, Aerith took Tifa by her arm and headed for the swimsuits section while Cloud and Zack followed. The sports shop had a multitude of colour and design options on the racks, reminding the teenagers more of a department store than a sporting goods one.

Aerith quickly took a few swimsuits off the rack and handed them to Tifa. Once Tifa had left to try them on, Aerith turned her attention to the two boys.

"What about you two?" Aerith ceased flipping through the racks of bathing suits and waited for Tifa to come out. "Do you guys have any swimwear?"

Cloud and Zack shook their heads. They lived in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains. Why would they have any?

Aerith sighed and pointed towards the men's section of the shop. "Let's go, I'll help you guys too."

"Aerith?" Tifa's voice sounded from one of the fitting rooms.

Aerith approached the room and called out her friend's name. "Tifa?"

"I'm fine, these are the ones you want me to try?" Tifa's voice sounded unsure.

"Yeah, is there a problem? I think I got the right size, right?"

"Yeah, the size is fine, but..." Tifa was silent for a moment before opening the door. "I don't think pink and yellow look too good on me..."

Tifa stood there wearing a formfitting pink one-piece swimsuit that reached up to her neck, causing Cloud's cheeks to grow warm. Maybe the colour wasn't right, but the style was perfect for her... Cloud forced himself to avert his eyes, sit down, and stop thinking. It was just a swimsuit, _damnit_!

Zack took a step forward and put a hand on Tifa's shoulder, turning her around to make sure that the garment covered her back properly. "Yeah, the swimsuit is perfect, but maybe a darker colour would be better. What do you think, Aerith?"

"I think she would do better with a light colour, but I already gave her the yellow, the green with flowers, the orange, and the pink..." Aerith instructed Tifa to enter the room again. "I'll get you some different ones. Try this on while I search for more." Aerith handed Tifa another pile of swimsuits and closed the door behind her friend.

Once Tifa was locked in the fitting room again, Aerith turned to Zack and Cloud. "Any suggestions?"

Zack sifted through the various articles of clothing on the rack, trying to imagine what would be best for Tifa. "Hey Cloud." The blond looked up to see Zack staring at him. "What do you think would look best on Tifa?"

Cloud pondered on the question it. Tifa used to always wear black or white, sometimes there was some blue too. But the colour that would really look nice on her...

"... How about dark red?" Cloud replied while thinking that it would match her eyes at least.

Zack and Aerith looked at each other before they returned to their search through the clothing racks. "Go search for it." Zack said over his shoulder to Cloud.

"What?"

"Search for a dark red swimsuit. I've my own idea of what would be best. I'm thinking black."

"You're both wrong. The best one will be a white one!" Aerith said while laughing. Cloud looked at them. Since when had this become a competition? "The one who finds the best swimsuit gets a reward!"

"What kind of reward?" Zack asked without pausing to look up.

Aerith thought for a moment before answering. "Whatever the winner wants?"

Zack laughed. "Deal then. I know I'm going to win!"

"How is that?" Aerith asked with her head down in the racks of swimsuits, eagerly searching.

"Because I'm the one who knows her the best!"

Cloud let Zack and Aerith have their competition and went to the far end of the sporting goods store, where the aisle that separated the women's and men's clothing sections were. He scanned the remaining racks and thought about taking a break to find a swimsuit for himself when something caught his eye. His hand reached out and touched the blood-red fabric.

He had found his bet.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 53.

Cloud: "You can come out, now."

LTS: *from inside the fridge* "Have you locked up Genesis?"

Cloud: "Yeah, now get out. **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: *opens the door* "R&R and thanks for reading. Where is Leah Conner?"

Cloud: "She started laughing uncontrollably when she saw Genesis, so I left her with Zack and Aerith until she calms down." *looks at LTS* "Why are you inside the fridge?"

LTS: "It saved my life in Heavy Rain, so I supposed it would work here too. The only problem is... that I'm feeling... pretty drowsy... right... now..." *falls asleep*

Cloud: "Aerith! Lady has hypothermia!"

CIH!! 20/04/2010


	54. Zack and Aerith are EVIL

**A/N**: Chap 54. LTS: "Since I'm recovering from my hypothermia -in Cloud's arms- (*happy sigh* even if I don't survive this, I'll die happy...), oodball167 has made this A/N."

Aerith: "...and then she said; I don't know how this swimsuit ended up in my purse, sir." *laughs*

Tifa: *laughs* "I remember when she tried to steal some..." *shuts up suddenly*

oodball167: *oodball exits the VR room* "Hi!" *looking at the girls* "Am I interrupting something?"

Tifa: "No, don't worry." *smiles* "He isn't interrupting anything, is he, Aerith?"

Aerith: *giggling* "We're just... Gossiping!"

oodball167: "Yeah... sure. Anyway, I'm glad to see you."

Aerith: "Why is that?"

oodball167: "I was exercising some of my skills, but I realised that I shouldn't do it alone, and then I thought that maybe you would like to help me."

Tifa: "Okay." *smiles* "It's the least we can do after you helped us with LTS."

oodball167: "Great! This way, please.** Disclaimer: Neither LadyTeefStrife nor myself owns anything!**"

Aerith: "Hey, oodball... What kind of 'skills' were you exercising?"

oodball167: *grins* "It's a surprise, Aerith. I'm sure you both will enjoy it..."

* * *

**Title**: Zack and Aerith are EVIL.

__

Aerith entered the changing rooms and handed Tifa the three swimsuits they had chosen for her. "Try this three on. These are the best colours we found." Once Tifa had them, Aerith exited and sat on one of the chairs in front of the room with Cloud and Zack on either side of her.

Zack was waiting with his arms over his head, Cloud with his hands in his pockets, and Aerith with her arms crossed. The three of them were trying to contain anxiety.

They didn't say anything about the bet to Tifa so that it wouldn't influence the outcome. Tifa simply tried the bathing suits in the order Aerith gave them to her. She liked all three of the ones Aerith gave her, so after putting on the first one, she opened the door to hear their opinion and help her decide which one was the best.

"What do you think?" Tifa said while slowly turning around to model the garment.

Zack smiled. "I knew black would look great on you!"

Tifa nodded and looked at herself. "Yeah, but there's something off..." She went to the nearest mirror and took a good look. "Maybe if the style was different it would look better..."

Aerith got up and pushed Tifa inside the room again. "Well, try the next one!"

When Tifa exited again, she was wearing the white one. "I like this one." Tifa commented while turning around for them to see the back.

When Tifa was once again inside the changing room, Zack groaned. "Damn... I guess I can't compete with girls when it comes to fashion..." He said to Aerith with a defeated voice.

Aerith laughed. "Well, looks like I'm going to win!"

Tifa exited the room again. This time, wearing a crimson swimsuit. Zack and Aerith stared at Tifa while she smiled. Neither of them said a word.

Cloud leaned forward to see Zack and Aerith's faces and grinned. "Whatever the winner wants, huh?"

__

Once Tifa was again out of ear-shot changing back into her clothes, Aerith got up and sat on Cloud's other side which put him in the middle and asked Cloud. "Well, what do you want as your reward?"

Cloud thought about it. He had only been joking earlier, he picked that swimsuit because he knew it would look good on Tifa, not because he wanted to win. He didn't even think the losers were actually going to uphold their end of the bargain. "... I don't know yet."

"You could ask for a date with Tifa." Zack's oh so innocent suggestion broke the silence, which of course made Cloud blush.

Aerith gasped. "Maybe he'll ask for a kiss!"

Zack looked at the girl, ignoring Cloud's protest and coloured cheeks. "You've also noticed he's head-over-heels for Tifa?"

Aerith shrugged. "It's pretty obvious."

"Yeah." Zack leaned back on his chair. "Well, at least I hope he asks for one of those, because if he asks for something… else... I'm not letting him. Even if he's my friend, Tifa is my sister, you know?" He said seriously.

Aerith put a hand on Cloud's shoulder. "So, what are you going to ask for? The kiss or the date?"

Cloud looked at her with his scarlet face. "... I... Uh..."

Zack put his hand on Cloud's other shoulder. "You don't want to have a date with Tifa? Or you don't want to kiss her?"

"I haven't said I don't want to!" Cloud replied.

"Then? You want to kiss her in a date?" Aerith said from his side.

"Of course I do!"

"Do what?" Zack said with as straight a face as he could muster.

"Kiss Tifa on a date!"

Cloud's brain exploded.

Aerith and Zack gave each other a high-five which was accompanied by a 'yeah!' and 'he said it!'

And Tifa opened the door, now fully dressed, to see her brother and her green-eyed friend insanely cheering and jumping up and down while Cloud stood nearby with a blank faced.

Tifa approached him and leaned forward, trying to see his face. He was chanting something under his breath, but she couldn't quite hear the words. Tifa looked at the esthetically happy pair and put her hands on her hips. "What did you two do to him?"

Zack sobered up and shook Cloud, who didn't respond. "Nothing! We didn't do anything to him, right Aerith?"

Tifa turned her head to her friend who nodded with a growing smile. "We were just talking!" Tifa kept her eyes on them, their grins a tell-tale of their soon-to-be-revealed laugh. And they exploded.

Tifa let them laugh while she tried to get Cloud back. She got on her knees in front of him and took his head in her hands. "Cloud?" He blinked and continued chanting. She got closer and tried to hear what he was saying.

"Zack... Tease... Trick... Aerith... Zack... Learned... Prize..." She drew back and called out to him again.

"Cloud?" He blinked at her again and his eyes locked on hers.

"Tifa." He stared into her eyes, giving her the chance to do the same.

The next thing she knew, he had leaned forward.

That, and that he was no longer chanting.

Probably because his lips were busy on hers.

And in a distant tone, she heard a clap of hands from Zack and Aerith's second high-five.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 54.

oodball167: *oodball, Aerith and Tifa exits the VR room* "Well, what do you think?"

Aerith: *smiling* "It was amazing! I never imagined that I could have so much fun with you!" *hugs oodball*

Tifa: *laughing* "Yeah! It was wonderful! Probably one of the funniest moments in my life!"

oodball167: *smiles* "So, I'm still good at it, uh?"

Tifa: "I thought you were a professional."

Aerith: "And the costume... You looked so cute with it."

oodball167: "Do you have some obsession with cross-dressing?"

Tifa: "What was the play called?"

oodball167: "George Dandin, by Molière"

Tifa: "Well, I think you are a great amateur actor, oodball!"

oodball167: "**Disclaimer: Neither LadyTeefStrife nor myself owns anything!**"

Aerith: "So, is it true that the stage actors kiss on the mouth?"

oodball167: "Don't tempt me, dear..."

CIH!! And Zerith too! 20/04/2010 oodball167: "And yes, I love theater. And in that performance my character was a maiden called 'Claudina'."

LTS: *tries to ignore the scene* "I'm not even going to ask... R&R and thanks for reading. Nope, not going to ask. I don't want to know. I really don't. Ignorance is bliss..." *turns to oodball167 laughing* "oodball, what the hell was on your mind? You're even crazier than me!"


	55. Dull rubies

**A/N**: Chap 55. LTS: "A/N made by oodball167. Because Cloud wouldn't confess when I talk to him."

Aerith: "Alright! Now that we are alone you'll tell me why you enjoy making LTS mad so much."

Cloud: "That's not true."

Aerith: *glares* "Cloud..."

Cloud: "Well..." *shrugs* "Zack enjoys teasing me. Why can't I enjoy teasing Lady?"

Aerith: "You did more than tease her!" *sighs, takes his head in her hands and stares into his eyes* "Tell me, Cloud. Tell me why. The truth. Please?"

Cloud: "In... some of her one-shots... she... killed... she made Tifa suffer! What's the world expecting from me! Let it be!?"

Aerith: "Cloud, those one-shots weren't real. It was an illusion. Sometimes people need to express sadness, and for this they use things like fanfics." *Cloud looks at her with a blank face* "Let me put it this way; in those one-shots you and Tifa were actors, the death and the pain were made up, like Robert Shaw in Jaws."

Cloud: "I think I got it..."

Aerith: "**Disclaimer: LTS doesn't own anything!**"

Cloud: "So, if the one-shots were like a movie... What was 'Maiden who Travels the Planet'?"

* * *

**Title**: Dull rubies.

__

Tifa was in shock. She wasn't expecting Cloud to lean forward and kiss her! She was frozen in place, she couldn't even close her eyes. She stared with faraway look in her eyes at him while he continued kissing her.

After what seemed an eternity, she felt his tongue on her lips and she made a squeaking noise at the unexpected action. Cloud drew back and blinked. "Tifa?" He stared at her and saw her flustered face. Had he just... kissed her!? "Teef! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-" He stopped when he saw the sudden change in her eyes. Those normally bright and cheerful rubies were now dull, downcast, and averted to the ground.

Tifa got up, turning around and handing Zack the crimson swimsuit. "This is the one I want to buy." Her voice shook a little, but otherwise she seemed unaffected. She cleared her throat and turned to Aerith. "Is there anything else we need here?"

Aerith and Zack looked at each other. What just happened?

They were just playing with Cloud's mind; teasing, pressing him to move forward in his crush with Tifa. Sure, they hadn't expected he would kiss her, but at least it was something good, wasn't it? Cloud had kissed Tifa and she hadn't slapped him. That had to mean that she didn't mind, right?

But now, looking at the masked emotions displayed on her face, they weren't so sure.

"Zack and I still need to buy our swimwear." Cloud's voice rumbled behind Tifa. "Aerith and Zack could go get them while we wait here."

Zack and Aerith looked at each other again and nodded in agreement. It would be best if they left them alone to talk about what had happened. Once they were out of earshot, Tifa turned around and faced Cloud.

The blond stared at her while she looked at the floor. "I'm sorry, Teef." He saw her wince at the name but dismissed it, not knowing the reason for her discomfort. "I wasn't thinking... Aerith and Zack were playing with me and I lost control. I shouldn't have-" He sighed. There was no use in trying to explain that it wasn't his fault. After all, he wanted to do it, even if he wouldn't admit it to anyone. "I'm sorry." He tried to look at her face, but she lowered hers.

"It's okay, it was nothing." After taking a deep breath, she raised her head and locked eyes with him. Her face emotionless. "You didn't mean it, you said so yourself. It's okay. It doesn't matter anyway."

It was the second time he had heard her say that and it made him explode.

Cloud took Tifa's arm and exited the shop, his steps leading them to their house.

Aerith and Zack were searching through the bathing suits when they saw Cloud drag Tifa outside. "Do you think they'll be okay?" Aerith asked to Zack.

He nodded and turned his eyes to the clothing rack. "I trust Cloud." He resumed his search. "He's probably taking her home to talk, don't worry."

Aerith nodded and continued to search too. "I wonder what went wrong..."

Zack peered at her and felt his heart grow warm and a smile creep up his cheeks. _'Tifa has found a really good friend...'_ He turned his eyes again to the clothes and took two, his grin never leaving his face. "Okay, I got them. I'm sure Cloud will like this one." He held the one he had picked out for his friend for Aerith to see, and at her approving nod, they went to pay for them.

Once they were out of the shop, Zack turned to Aerith. "Do you have something to do?" She shook her head. "I think we should give those two some time alone before we go see how they are. What do you think if we go out for a while?"

Aerith stared at him. Upon seeing his grin, she decided to tease him a little. "Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Fair?"

Zack thought about it. Sure, she was just joking, but it wouldn't really be that bad if she wasn't, right? He smiled at her. She was a nice girl, a good friend, and he felt better when he was with her. It was different from Tifa. Of course he loved Tifa dearly, but this girl... There was something about her that seemed to attract him. He made his decision. "Yeah, why not?"

Aerith blinked and stared at him. "What?"

His smile widened. "I'm asking you on a date, Miss Gast."

She blinked again. "You're serious?"

"Of course I am!" He mocked offense. "Here I am, putting my pride aside and asking you on my knees for you to go out with me, and you question my words?"

She laughed at his mockery. "Okay, maybe I'll think about it."

Zack grinned. "How about if you think about it while we go get something to eat?" Even if she wasn't very hungry, and his jokes had been terrible, Aerith agreed and they started to walk towards Zack favourite burger place.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 55.

Aerith: "**Disclaimer: LTS doesn't own anything!**"

Cloud: "You didn't answered me."

Aerith: "You see, we wanted to buy a house with a pretty garden, but we didn't have enough money. Square made the offer and we took it. I have never felt worst than acting like you were more important to me than Zack. I was soo glad that Square made you and Tifa official..."

Cloud: "Let me get this straight... You and Zack played with the hopes of all zerith fans just to buy a house?"

Aerith: "It was better than Zack's idea."

Cloud: "Was it so bad?"

Aerith: *blushing* "He suggested we make an adult film."

Cloud: "Zack what!? ... I guess you're right."

Aerith: "I don't want to be seen like that! Except by Zack, of course."

oodball167: *appearing from nowhere* "You such a prude, huh?"

Aerith: "Don't complain! At least I'm not against making out in public."

Cloud: "Read & Review, and thanks for reading!"

CIH 22/04/2010 oodball167: "And remember, kids: Jaws, good! :D Maiden who Travels the Planet, bad! XP"

LTS: "I second that."


	56. Cloud's determination

**A/N**: Chap 56. LTS: "This A/N and the one for the next chapter, are my favourite. They are made by oodball167."

oodball167: "Hey, Aerith. Why did you mentioned Jaws the other day? I never thought you'd like that movie."

Aerith: "And I don't like it. But it's a good movie. And it was my first excuse to hug Zack in public."

oodball167: "Hug Zack?"

Zack: "She was far more shy when we began dating."

oodball167: "**Disclaimer: Neither LadyTeefStrife nor myself owns anything! **So, you both used the movie as an excuse to make out?"

Aerith/Zack: "OODBALL!!"

* * *

**Title**: Cloud's determination.

__

Once Cloud and Tifa arrived home, Cloud dragged Tifa to his room and closed the door behind them.

"I've had enough, Tifa." Cloud said while facing the door, his back to her.

She didn't reply. She hadn't tried to free herself when he was dragging her to his room either, so he didn't know what was wrong with her. She was acting like a lifeless doll, letting herself be pulled and dragged with an expressionless face.

Cloud turned around and faced her. She had taken a seat on his bed and was staring at the wall to her right, avoiding him. "Are you going to talk to me?"

"What do you want me to say?" Tifa replied with her face still turned away from him. "I think everything is clear. You kissed me, you didn't mean it, it wasn't your fault, and I said it was okay." She shrugged, pretending nonchalance. "See? Everything is clear."

"Why are you doing this?" That made her look at him. His brow was furrowed, and he seemed to be searching for something inside her. "Why the 'it doesn't matter'? Why do you do that?" He sighed and sat by her side on the bed. "You can't avoid everything with an 'it doesn't matter', Teef."

She lowered her head and stared at her lap, her hands on either side of her thighs. "What do you want me to do then?" Her voice shook a little. Tifa couldn't tell him that that kiss had meant something to her, when he had said that he didn't mean it.

"Let's try something. That way you won't be able to keep avoiding me with that stupid retort." She saw his eyes narrow at that and she dared to ask.

"Why does it make you so mad?"

"Because it matters." He replied immediately. "The first time, you said it to hide that we were childhood friends. And now you're hiding something too." He turned his head to her and they locked eyes. "I don't know what it is, but I know you'll tell me someday."

Tifa saw the conviction in his eyes. "How can you be so sure?"

"You always have before. Even if I have to wait days, months, years... I know you'll tell me." Cloud paused a moment before offering his deal. "From now on, you won't hide from me any more. If something troubles you, or if something happens that you don't like, if I ask you, you'll have to tell me." He took a breath before finishing. "I want you to trust me as much as I trust you."

Tifa turned her eyes to her lap again. He had insisted on being the one who gave her blood, which was risking his life, and the only thing he asked was for her to trust him? Tifa nodded to herself.

"It... It was my first kiss."

Cloud's eyes widened. "... What?" He couldn't have heard right. After all she had a boyfriend for almost a year.

She huffed at his lack of cooperation. "The kiss? The one you gave me in the shop when you were in la-la land?"

"I know what kiss you're talking about." He hurried to explain. "But... You and Sephiroth...?"

"We never kissed." She was fidgeting with the bed covers. "I told you he was trying to make me fall for him. We never did anything more than a kiss on the cheek or the forehead." She chuckled. "Now that I think about it, Zack and I look more like a couple than Sephiroth and I did when we were together."

They stood in silence until Cloud realised something. "Wait. This means you're going to trust me?"

She nodded. "Yeah. You've done a lot for me, and I... I really want to trust you."

A big smile appeared on Cloud's face. The now comfortable environment in the room made him confess. "It was my first kiss too, you know?" She looked at him, his smile was the brightest one she had ever seen on his face. "And I lied to you." His smile turned to a smirk. "I meant it."

She raised an eyebrow questioningly, not knowing what he was talking about. "What?"

Cloud chuckled. "The kiss? The one I gave you while I was in la-la land?" He chuckled again at her widening eyes. "I meant it."

A blush coloured her cheeks while her eyes widened. "What!?" Even if it was a scream, the lump in her throat made it sound like a whisper.

"Well, I think it's time for me to stop hiding from you too, right?" He turned towards her and replied with a low voice. "I... I've grown to care a lot for you, Teef."

He took a deep breath, gathering courage to continue. "I'd like you to... give me a chance." Her eyes widened even more. He couldn't be asking... "I don't want us to be just friends... I-"

Tifa interrupted him, preventing Cloud from saying it. "Don't." Her tone was serious. "Don't say it."

He looked at her quizzically. "Why?"

"I don't want to break our friendship just because of some words." Her voice was firm and she didn't waver. She won't let him say it.

"It's not just some words, Teef." He said, narrowing his eyes at her.

He loved her. Zack knew it, Aerith knew it... hell, even Zack's mother knew Cloud had something for Tifa. Why wouldn't she let him say it to her?

Maybe... she didn't love him back?

But that's why he asked for a chance. Why wouldn't she give it to him? _'It doesn't matter.' _Cloud smiled.

He made a choice he would never regret.

* * *

**A/N**: End chap 56.

Yuffie: "Uuurgh! Why?! I wasn't doing anything wrong!"

oodball167: "What happened now, Yuffie?"

Yuffie: "LTS happened! She was watching this boooring film. I was training my super-ninja skills when a glass vase appeared from nowhere and it crashed to the floor all on its own. And she blamed it on me, and shut me out of the room."

Aerith: "You should use the VR room when you're training."

Zack: "Lady is watching a movie? She only plays video games when I'm with her... What was the movie?"

Yuffie: "Hamlet, with Mel Gibson."

Aerith: "**Disclaimer: Neither LadyTeefStrife nor oodball167 owns anything!** Are you okay, Zack?"

Zack: "..."

CIH!! 25/04/2010 LTS: "Yeah, Hamlet. I love that movie!"


	57. Cloud's change

**A/N**: Chap 57. LTS: "As I said in the last chap, this A/N was made by oodball167 and it's my favourite... if I don't count chap 51, of course."

oodball167: "I don't see it as so weird."

Zack: "Shakespeare! Man, we are talking about Shakespeare!"

oodball167: "And?"

Zack: "I simply don't understand her!" *sigh* "I mean, sometimes she acts like a standard fangirl, sometimes like a freaking evil goblin, and others like a perfectly normal woman. Besides, she can't stand Aerith."

oodball167: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife and myself don't own anything!** She is Aerith's friend, now. And if you think she's weird, then you haven't read my profile."

* * *

**Title**: Cloud's change.

__

"There you are!" Yuffie cheered while running at full speed towards the weary boys. "How was the trip? I can't believe you two had to come here all on your own, but you know that the Rapsodos didn't want boys to come… but it'll be worth it once the fun starts! And my poor Vince... His father is dropping him off, I think. He doesn't have a bike like you two, but his father offered to bring him here. But all those hours inside a car must be so tiring... At least Cid dropped us off here before he left for Modeoheim with Shera and Genesis! Though I'll never, ever travel by air again... Anyway, we've been waiting for you since we arrived-"

Cloud and Zack looked at each other, letting Yuffie's rambles drift to the back of their minds. They had been driving from Nibelheim to Costa del Sol for more than eight hours, making a stop in Gongaga to rest a little, but the only thing they wanted was to have a quick shower and go to _sleep_.

"Yuffie." They turned to the voice. "I think they want to rest." Vincent said as he exited his father's car.

"Vince!" Yuffie ran towards him, but stopped abruptly when she saw someone else getting out of the car. "Mr Valentine..." She straightened up and bowed. "It's a pleasure to see you again." She smiled sweetly at Vincent's father, making Cloud and Zack's eyes widen.

Who was this girl and what had she done with the loud princess Yuffie?

Vincent approached them and tried to explain. "Since she met my parents, she's been trying to make a good impression upon them by acting like this."

Zack watched the scene. Yuffie was being so... polite... "It's creepy." Cloud could only nod in agreement upon his friend's statement.

Once Mr. Valentine was once again inside the car and driving home again, Yuffie returned to her normal loud self. "What are you two waiting for!? Tifa was worried about you two! C'mon, get inside and go say something to her!"

Cloud and Zack, too tired to protest or even talk, grabbed their luggage from the bikes and went inside the house.

__

"We haven't assigned any of the four rooms yet. There's one with a double bed and three with two beds." Cissnei explained. "Any ideas?"

Zack was the first one to talk. "Vince and Yuffie should take the double bed, and Reno and I, Cissnei with Aerith, and Cloud with Tifa should take the other rooms."

Everyone was giving their approval when Tifa spoke up to her brother's suggestion. "Sorry, but... Cloud and I?"

Zack looked at her and nodded. "Yeah, why not?" Even if his tone was the same as always, his eyes told her that he knew what he was doing.

Cloud leaned towards her and whispered in her ear. "He's doing it so we can be alone." Cloud's words made the information sink into Tifa's brain.

They were going to spend two and half months together in the same house. Zack was giving them a way to be alone so Cloud could give her blood without anyone noticing.

But that meant... sleeping in the same room as well.

Since their last talk in Cloud's bedroom, he had been acting strange. Well, 'strange' might not be the right word, but he acted... like Zack. He didn't seem to know where the boundaries laid, and unlike Zack -who could invade her personal space without trouble since they where 'family'-, Cloud always had stayed at arms length with her, always there, but always from a distance. But now... the heat of his breath when he has whispering to her still lingered on her neck, making her shudder.

"Are you cold, Teef?" Cloud's voice sounded from behind her and she suppressed a second shudder when he closed the distance between them, barely an inch apart. If she leaned back, she would fall into his arms.

Realisation hit hard.

He was doing it on purpose. Cloud was acting like a boyfriend.

When Cissnei offered to distribute the rooms, Cloud took a step away from her and took his luggage. "I'll be in our room. I'll take a shower and then I'll get some sleep, okay?" She nodded and saw him smirk.

Two and half months sleeping in the same room with someone who has confessed that he wanted to be more than just friends with her.

That couldn't end well.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 57. LTS: "On a side note; about the first part of the A/N. I love oodball's profile. It's a pity that it's in Spanish."

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife and oodball167 don't own anything.** I still think she's weird."

Aerith: "But she's your friend, right?"

Zack: "Yeah... Don't misunderstand me, she's a great friend, it's just sometimes I don't understand her."

oodball167: "Neither do I, but it's part of her magic."

Aerith: "Read & Review!"

oodball167: "And thanks for reading!"

CIH!! 25/04/2010


	58. Summer break: First day

**A/N**: Chap 58.

LTS: *reads a post it note* "Hug for Gaorie from Cloud." *tosses the note* "Gaorie! It's your turn!"

Gaorie: *approaches LTS* "Finally..." *hugs Cloud*

LTS: "Yeah, sorry about that, a lot has happened." *smile*

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "You didn't protest this time? Don't tell me you're starting to like the hugs?"

Cloud: "Shut up, Lady."

LTS: "What's wrong with you?"

* * *

**Title**: Summer break: First day.

After unpacking their belongings and assigning the beds, Cloud went to sleep and Tifa explained to Zack what had happened after the kiss. She knew he was tired too, but that was probably one of the only times they would have some privacy while the others were occupied in their own rooms.

"Why didn't you let him confess?" Zack finally asked with wide eyes. After all the trouble to make him say it, she didn't let him?

"It's... too soon." She raised her head and locked eyes with her brother. "I just started to trust him as a friend. I can't-"

"Do you love him?" Zack interrupted her. "I'm sorry." He bowed his head in a silent apology. "I should have asked that a lot sooner. I was so happy that... you know... Cloud is a good guy. But I never thought about how you felt about him."

"I..." Tifa thought about it. Cloud was a good guy, but... did she loved him? That kiss had meant something to her, but maybe it was just because it was her first kiss? "I don't know."

Zack's head snapped up. "Wait. That wasn't a no." Tifa felt her cheeks grow warm. "You haven't said you don't love him, right?"

Tifa cleared her throat in an attempt to get rid of the embarrassment. "I just said that I don't know. He's a great friend, but-"

"Give him a chance." Zack pleaded to her. "If you gave it to Sephiroth, you can give it to him too. I know he's a good guy, he'll never hurt you. I trust him, Tifa."

"Saying it that way makes it seem as if you just want me to find a boyfriend." She joked.

"Tifa." The low growl warned her that he wasn't kidding. "He wants to take care of you as much as I do. He just wants to be by your side, to protect you. Would it really be that bad to let him in?"

"I'm not saying..." She huffed. "It doesn't matter any more, he's trying even without my consent."

"Trying? You mean..." Zack's eyes widened. "So that was why he was standing so close to you before? That guy is a genius! Who would have thought that our little chocoboy would have grown up so fast?" He laughed, leaving Tifa with a puzzled look on her face.

"What do you mean, Zack?"

"Isn't it clear? He's just acting like any man would." He approached her and whispered in her ear with laughter in his voice. "He's seducing you."

Tifa turned her head to look at him, unaffected. "I know that much."

He shook his head. "No Tifa." Zack's smile widened. "He thinks about you as a woman now." Upon seeing her widening eyes, he couldn't resist his grin. "No more 'I'm your friend and I want to know you', now his mind is set on 'I'm a man and I want you'."

Tifa felt a rush of blood go up to her face. "What!?" She shrieked. "And you're okay with that!? I thought big brothers used to scare away the possible boyfriends of their sisters and not encourage them!"

Zack's grin turned into a smirk. "But I'm not your big brother, as much as I act like one, I'm your _little_ brother." He stressed the word. "Oh, and talking about encouragement..." Zack got up and went upstairs, where the bedrooms where. He went to Tifa's room and entered it.

There he was, sleeping on his stomach.

Zack approached Cloud, determined to wake him up to talk to him, while Tifa entered the room, having followed her brother. Zack pulled out the pillow upon which his friend's head was resting, causing Cloud's face to slump onto the mattress with a thud while Tifa asked him to leave the poor boy alone. Brother and sister stared at each other while their friend continued sleeping.

"He didn't wake up? He must be really tired..." Tifa said while she sat on the other bed across from them.

"He's a heavy sleeper." Zack grinned.

"Shudup, Zack." Cloud growled in his slumber and turned his head away from him towards the other bed, towards Tifa.

"He talks in his sleep?" Tifa asked in a hushed voice.

"It's the first time he's done that..."

Tifa stared at her brother. "You've done this before? I mean, you've woken him up?"

"_Tried_ to wake him up, yeah." He grinned. "Remember your birthday?"

Tifa winced. "Yeah, the washing machine didn't survive that one very well..."

Zack's eyebrows rose. "I didn't know it was broken."

"It isn't, but it doesn't works as well as before. Now I have to be very careful to get it to work."

"Why didn't you tell me? We could have bought a new one." Why did she always do that? If something was wrong she should tell him so he could fix it.

"Zack, we got sidetracked, don't you think? Why did you ask about my birthday?"

"Oh yeah." Zack scratched the back of his head. "That day I had to wake up Cloud so we could make you your breakfast in bed, so I went to his room, but he was still asleep... I didn't know it was so hard to wake him up."

A look of bewilderment fell upon Tifa's face. "I thought Cloud was a morning person..."

"You and Angeal are morning people, and you know how much I love to sleep, so I had a hard time waking up... But Cloud..." He pulled at one of the longer strands of golden blond hair. Cloud didn't even stir. "… is a very heavy sleeper."

Tifa leaned forward and looked at his face. He was sleeping peacefully, and... "He drools?"

The dark eyebrows rose in surprise. "Seriously?" Zack leaned towards his friend's face. Yup, he drools. "This is a first too." He said laughing. "I guess he must be really tired to be talking and drooling in his sleep. I kind of feel sorry now for the pillow thing..."

Tifa looked at Cloud. He didn't seem to mind not having a pillow any more, but he should change his posture or he would be cranky when he woke up. "Hey, could you help me move him to a less awkward position?"

Once they got him on his back, with the pillow under his head again, they exited the room.

"Hey, Zack... Why did you want to wake up Cloud?" Tifa asked while they went to the living room again.

Zack thought about it for a long time, while Tifa stared at him waiting for an answer. "Oh, yeah!" He finally remembered. "The encouragement thing!" He took a step to go upstairs again but stopped and sighed dramatically. "I guess I'll have to wait until he wakes up."

"You're not going to sleep?" He should be as tired as Cloud.

"It's six in the afternoon, If I go to sleep now, I'll sleep until tomorrow. I better stay up until I have dinner." He grinned and sat by her side on the couch.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 58.

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: *glares* "Tell me to shut up again and we're going to have a problem."

Cloud: "Yeah, it would be a problem if I end up '_losing_' that movie..."

LTS: "What are you..." *Cloud waves a movie case in front of her* "Are you blackmailing me?"

Cloud: *ignores her* "Hamlet, is it?"

LTS: "Tifa's safety?" *Cloud nods* "Deal. But if the plot needs her to be injured, I can't do anything about it."

Cloud: "Deal."

Gaorie: *from Cloud's arms* "R&R." *goes away*

LTS: "Thanks for reading." *Cloud hands her the movie* "Who the hell told you about this? I only watch it when I'm alone..."

CIH!! 28/04/2010


	59. Summer break: Reno

**A/N**: Chap 59.

Cissnei: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** What were you thinking when you put all of us in that house?"

LTS: "I thought it would be fun..."

Cissnei: "With Reno there? More than fun-"

LTS: *sigh* "I know... But there are ways to fix that."

Cissnei: "What do you mean?"

LTS: "I mean that I wasn't planning for Reno to stay there for long..."

* * *

**Title**: Summer break, Reno.

After everyone settled down and had dinner, Tifa went to her room. Cloud hadn't shown up for dinner, so she assumed he was still asleep. She opened the door quietly and entered.

As expected, he was still sleeping in his bed. Tifa grabbed everything she needed before going to the bathroom. Once she was in her pajamas -a pair of shorts and a shirt formerly owned by Zack- and ready to go to bed, Cloud stirred.

She moved closer to him, looking intently at his closed lids. Upon seeing there wasn't a change, she laid down on her bed and tried to fall asleep. At least with Cloud already asleep, it wasn't so hard to be in the same room as him.

But morning soon came, the bright sunlight seemed to blind Tifa with red light, even though her eyes were still closed. She stirred and opened her eyes slowly, only to see blue staring back at her.

"Hey."

She blinked, trying to focus her vision. The first thing she noticed was that Cloud was closer than she remembered and she reared back, nearly falling off the bed until a steady arm sneaked around her waist and pulled her closer to Cloud. She looked at him. Why was he so close?

Tifa sat up and looked around. She wasn't in her bed any more, she was...

"Cloud, why am I in your bed!?" She demanded while turning fully to him, still sitting while he laid down on his back with his arms behind his head.

Cloud took his arm from behind his head and pointed behind her. "Would you rather be in yours?"

She turned her head and looked over her shoulder where her bed was. There, sprawled across her bed was Reno. "What the... Why is _he_ in my bed!?"

Cloud smiled at her and closed his eyes. "You've missed a few things." Tifa poked him in his ribs, showing him that she was not amused by this situation. Cloud laughed and sat up so they were face to face. "We finally realised why Reno was so eager to spend the summer break here with us."

After getting up and hearing the reasons from Cloud and Cissnei, Tifa understood why no one had protested when Zack had offered for Cloud and her to share a room. It seemed that Reno was 'interested' in Tifa and he didn't try to hide it. So on the first night, when everyone was asleep, Reno had snuck into Tifa's bed. Cloud, who had woken up the instant the door had been opened by someone who wasn't Zack or Tifa -and was assigned to keep an eye on the red-head- had waited until the guy was asleep to take Tifa away from him and to his own bed. He was planning to sleep somewhere else and let her use his bed, but since she didn't seemed to mind, he had stayed with her.

Needless to say, when Zack had heard that Reno had actually done what he dreaded, the black-haired boy had threatened Reno and asked Cissnei to do something, since she was the closest to an authority figure he could find. Zack refused to let Reno attempt to have his way with Tifa for two and a half months, that, he promised.

"Zack, I can't lock Reno in a room for the whole break, you know?" Cissnei tried to reason with him.

"Why not?" He half-mockingly replied. "We should do something about this. Tomorrow we planned to go to the beach and I don't want him drooling over my sister." Zack thought about it. "And not only Tifa." He pointed to Aerith and Yuffie, who were talking with Tifa at the moment. "We have two other girls around here."

Cissnei sighed. He was right, after all. "Look, I'll call my parents to ask them to take Reno with them to Modeoheim." Zack was about to thank her when she rose a hand, instructing him to wait. "But if I do that, we'll need to clear all evidence that any guys have been here. You, Vincent, and Cloud will have to disappear until my parents go away again." Zack was already nodding. "If you agree, then start cleaning up the evidence."

When Zack told the other guys the plan, they agreed. Vincent didn't want Reno near his girlfriend... or Tifa... or any girl for that matter. So Cloud, Vincent, and Zack repacked their luggage, cleaned out their rooms and beds, and waited for Cissnei's approval.

"I've already called my parents, and they'll be here soon." Before Cissnei could say anything more, they heard the front door open.

"Two fucking days and he's already causing problems!?" Cid had arrived.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 59.

Cissnei: "That can't end well..."

LTS: "Oh, man... poor guys didn't have the time to hide."

Cissnei: "But Cid hasn't seen them yet, right? Maybe they can still run away."

LTS: "Well, to know that you'll have to wait until the next chapter."

Cissnei: "... Why am I here?"

LTS: "I gave Cloud and Zack some time off to spend with their girlfriends."

Cissnei: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **So I'm your second choice?"

LTS: "Nope. You're the last. Even Genesis comes before you."

Cissnei: "R&R... That's rude, you know?"

LTS: "Anyone comes before a turk. It's your fault that Zack is dead."

Cissnei: "We tried!"

LTS: "I don't care, Zack is still dead. Thanks for reading."

CIH!! 29/04/2010


	60. Mother and Daughter

**A/N**: Chap 60. Dedicated to my father, Tifa (tomorrow it's their birthday XD), and my mother -and all the mothers in the world- because today it's Spain's mother's day.

LTS: "Congratulations! Today it's your day!"

Lucrecia: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything...**"

LTS: "What's wrong? Okay, I know. Your son is a madman who killed countless innocents, wanted to become a god, and tried to destroy the world twice, but still... he's your son and you're his mother!" *grin*

Sephiroth: "You always see the bright side of life, don't you?"

LTS: "I try, at least." *wider grin*

* * *

**Title**: Mother and daughter.

Cissnei hurried to block her parents way. "Mom, dad... I thought you wouldn't get here until later!" She glanced at the boys and signaled for them to run away while she distracted her parents.

"Your mother has been bugging me to come right away ever since you called. So what's happening? That damn son of mine is causing trouble again!?" Cid exclaimed while trying to look past Cissnei. Noticing she wasn't about to move out of the way, Shera finally asked.

"Honey? Is something wrong?"

Cissnei looked over her shoulder. The boys and their luggage weren't in the room any more, so she stepped aside and released the breath she didn't know she was holding. They had escaped in time... she hoped.

Cid and Shera sat in the living room after being properly welcomed by hugs and kisses from Cissnei. "Where's Reno, sweetie?" Shera asked her daughter.

"He's upstairs, I'll call him." Cissnei left her parents to get comfortable while she went upstairs to Reno's room only to find Cloud, Vincent, and Zack in the corridor with their luggage at their feet. "What are you three still doing here!?"

"What did you want us to do!? The only place to hide was up here!" Zack said while sitting on his suitcase. "Man... that was a close call." He said while rubbing his hands over his face.

"Are your parents still downstairs?" Cloud asked while Vincent simply leaned against the wall.

"Yeah, they're waiting for me to bring Reno." Cissnei opened the door to her bedroom, the one she was sharing with Aerith, and with a jerk of her head the boys went inside. "Just stay there and stay quiet, okay? Maybe we can still get through this without my parents noticing." She closed the door and went to knock on Reno's room. "Reno? Are you there?" A muffled sound was her response and she opened the door. "Mom and dad are waiting for you downstairs."

"What? Why are they here?" Reno asked while getting up from his bed.

"I told them about your little escapade to Tifa's bed." Cissnei crossed her arms over her chest.

"And they're here to take me with them to Modeoheim." Reno guessed and sighed. "It's fine, yo."

"It's fine?" Cissnei asked bewildered. "I thought you would be trying to talk mom and dad into letting you stay."

"This place is boring." He said with a grimace. "I thought this would be three months of me in a house of hot chicks, but this is three months of me in a house of newlyweds."

"What are you talking about? The only couple here is Yuffie and Vincent." Cissnei asked with a raised eyebrow.

"That's what I thought too, until what happened last night." Reno got up and started packing his belongings. "I thought I could get some cuddle time in with Tifa or Aerith, but when I woke up, I was alone in bed, Tifa was in Cloudy-boy's arms and that porcupine almost killed me when Cloud told him what happened. Not to mention the glares I've been getting from all of them every time I get close to any of the girls..." Reno sighed. "This way I get no fun. I don't care too much about the glares, I'm used to them from jealous guys, but being with three people wanting to kill me 24/7 just because I've shared a bed with a girl is crazy. Besides, she was supposed to be single, yo! What's wrong with sharing a bed with a free girl?"

Cissnei sighed. "Look, Reno. Just... grab your things and go downstairs. Maybe in Modeoheim you'll find a girl who wants to cuddle with you. If Genesis found a girlfriend -or obsession, for that matter- there, you can find a summer fling."

When Reno had finally finished packing his things and the Rapsodos where finally ready to leave, Shera turned to Cissnei. "Where are your friends?"

"They're shopping for groceries." When they had arrived at the house, Johnny -Cissnei's uncle- had made sure to leave lots of food for them. But since he didn't know that there would be three more guests, food was already running short, so Tifa, Aerith and Yuffie had left to buy some more.

Shera nodded and searched in her purse while Cid and Reno exited the house. "This is for you all." She pulled out an envelope. "I hope it's enough to keep the fridge full until the end of the break." Cissnei opened the envelope and saw gil. Lots of gil.

"Mom?" They had already agreed to share the expenses. It was true that on their own they didn't have much money, but... "This is too much..."

"Nonsense. I know how much it costs to feed three full-grown men." She winked at her daughter and after giving her a hug, she left the house and went to her husband's airship, were Genesis had been waiting for them.

Once Cissnei recovered the ability to think, she ran to her mother. "You knew!?"

Shera laughed at Cissnei's shocked expression. "I saw them run upstairs like crazy while you tried to distract us." She smiled at her daughter. "Don't worry, your father didn't notice, and I won't tell him. You deserve to have some fun with your friends." She winked. "I know you're a good girl, and I know I can trust your friends too. I hope I can get to know those boys someday after this, they seemed funny."

"Sure." Cissnei was still left in shock. "Mom?" She raised her head and locked eyes with her mother. "Thanks."

Shera embraced her loved daughter again. "No problem, honey." After saying goodbye one last time, Shera boarded the airship.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 60.

LTS: "Wow... I never thought I would meet you..." *ahem* "Welcome to my crazy mind..."

Gillian: "It's nice to finally meet you, Angeal has told me about you. I'm Gillian Helwey."

LTS: "Yeah, I know. I'm LadyTeefStrife, it's a pleasure to meet the mother of such a noble man." *hugs Gillian* "Has Angeal told you about me?"

Gillian: "Yes, he says he doesn't know how to describe you." *smile*

LTS: "... And is that good or bad?"

Angeal: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything**, R&R and thanks for reading..."

LTS: "No one is going to answer, huh?" *sigh*

CIH!! 02/05/2010 This is the end of the "first season" of Nibelheim. Time for my break to start! ^.^


	61. Summer break: Beach day

**A/N**: Chap 61. Start of the second season. I think we're halfway on the story...

LTS: *muttering* "... Let's see how I do this one..." *takes a breath* "Sephiroth!"

Sephiroth: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **What do you want now?"

LTS: "I need to kill you."

Sephiroth: "..."

LTS: "..."

Sephiroth: "... Nice joke. I almost laughed."

LTS: "Too bad it's not a joke, huh?"

Sephiroth: *glare* "..."

LTS: "Sorry buddy." *Sephiroth disappears in a cloud of black smoke and the three silver-haired-maniacs appear*

Kadaj/Loz/Yazoo: "Mother?"

LTS: "HELL NO!"

* * *

**Title**: Summer break: Beach day

Tifa smiled with her eyes closed and raised her head, letting the warmth of the morning sun heat her skin and the soft sea breeze cool it down again. She dropped the bags she was carrying and let the wind play with the skirt of her sundress.

The refreshing smell in the air, the soft warmth of the sun, the feel of the cool sand under her feet... She breathed deeply, enjoying the new sensations.

She opened her eyes and saw a cloudless sky and the ocean in front of her. "Beautiful..." Tifa said with a bright smile on her face.

"Enjoying the breeze?" Cloud's voice sounded from behind her and she turned around. He was wearing a long button up shirt that he had left open and the bathing suit Zack had chosen for him. It was blue like Zack's, but Cloud's had a yellow design on his left thigh while Zack's was black. "Is it the first time you've been to the beach?"

"Yes," She nodded. "it is." She turned to watch the sea again while Cloud chose a good spot on the beach for the umbrella he was carrying.

The group had planned to spend the day together at the beach, and Tifa and Cloud were the first ones to wake up, grab the few things they needed, and set off. It was early in the morning, so the sand was still cold under their feet, and the weather wasn't hot enough to walk in only swimsuits yet.

Tifa watched Cloud as he set up the few things they needed. The beach umbrella, his towel, her towel... wait. When did he... and why was he... "Cloud?"

He looked up from where he was focused in placing Tifa's red towel as close as possible to his blue one, almost overlapping each other. "Yeah?"

"When did you-?" She looked down and saw that her bags were no longer there, instead they were by Cloud's side. She sighed. "Never mind, but maybe you should put our towels a bit farther apart, don't you think?"

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Why?"

In response, Tifa's brow furrowed in thought. She didn't really have an answer for that and she sighed again. "Just... forget I asked." She walked towards him, the sand was starting to get warm and the others would arrive soon. "Cloud?" A question had been nagging at her since morning. He made a sound to show her he was listening. "You woke up pretty early today."

She had just awoken when she had noticed that his bed was empty and he was already packing what they needed for the beach, and once she had a quick breakfast and was ready as well, they headed out. But... that wasn't normal. Cloud had woken up not only sooner than Zack, but earlier than her!

Cloud sat on his towel and Tifa did the same on hers. "I..." He focused his gaze on the sea before them. "I suppose I was a little eager for this."

He didn't give any more explanation and Tifa was left with a strange sensation. Eager for what? To go to the beach? Or... to be with her? But that couldn't be it... right? He turned his head to her and a small smile appeared on his face. Just when he was about to say something else, Zack's voice made them turn around.

"See? I told ya we would look like brothers!" He was wearing his bathing suit too, but unlike Cloud, he was shirtless. "I still can't believe that you woke up so early, though." He set his grey towel by Cloud's side. It was true. The two looked like brothers, at least in their choice of swimwear.

"What are you giggling at?" Zack asked his sister, but dismissed it when a voice sounded behind them.

"Zack, you could have waited for us, don't you think?" Aerith approached them and set her towel by Tifa's side. "Yuffie and Vincent will come soon too, when I left they were having breakfast. Cissnei is in our room, she was talking with someone on her phone." The green-eyed girl made sure she gathered the fabric of the skirt of her white and blue sundress to one side before sitting.

"I thought it would be pink." Tifa commented, smoothing the fabric of her own white garment.

Aerith laughed. "Well, I thought it looked good. Besides, my bikini is pink already."

Zack leaned forward to look at Aerith. "You're wearing a bikini?" He asked with a teasing smirk. "Skimpy or modest?"

"I'm not telling you." Aerith replied before a slight smirk appeared on her lips too. "You'll have to find out for yourself."

Zack grinned and shifted to lie on his back. "You really like to tease, huh?"

Aerith chuckled and shook her head. "Look who's talking..."

"Having a good time?" Cissnei asked while setting her towel by Zack's side. Once she received affirmative nods and a 'hell yeah!' from Zack, she smiled. "Glad to hear that."

"Did we miss something?" Yuffie went running towards Aerith' side, already in her black and white patterned bathing suit, and spreading her towel before putting Vincent's next to hers. After the greetings, Vincent and Zack grabbed the two other beach umbrellas and set them up so everyone could have some shade.

"I've called a nearby restaurant and we have a reservation at two for lunch, everyone is okay with the time, right?" Again everyone agreed at Cissnei's question. "Good."

Yuffie reached for her bag and took out her suntan lotion, after taking some cream to rub it where she could reach, she gave the bottle to her boyfriend and turned around, giving him her back with a smile while the others watched the exchange. Yuffie raised her eyebrows. "What?"

Everyone turned around again and grabbed their own sun block. It was the first time they had actually seen Yuffie and Vincent act like a couple. Sure, they were always together and all... but this time they didn't even talk. And Yuffie doing something without talking was something really strange. At least it seemed that they were doing fine together.

They got up to be able to rub the lotion better and the girls stripped from their sundresses.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 61.

LTS: "Shadow of the Forgotten Ones wants to hug Yazoo."

Yazoo: "Me?"

LTS: "Yeah, so start hugging."

Shadow of the Forgotten Ones: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *hugs Yazoo*

Yazoo: *hugs back* "R&R and thanks for reading."

Kadaj: "So you're the infamous LTS?"

LTS: "Any problem, madness?"

Kadaj: "What did you call me?"

LTS: "You're Sephy's madness, so I call you madness. Have a problem with that?"

Kadaj: "Yes, I do."

LTS: "Too bad I don't care." *pushes Kadaj to Loz and Yazoo and upon contact, they form Sephiroth again* "… Oops."

Shadow of the Forgotten Ones: *hugging Sephiroth* "Why am I hugging Sephiroth now?"

Sephiroth: *grimace* "Get. _It_. Off."

CIH! 05/05/2010 … Sephy doesn't like hugs... XD


	62. Summer break: Bikini

**A/N**: Chap 62.

LTS: "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything...** I miss Alistair." *pout*

Zack: "Who is he?"

LTS: "A Dragon Age Origins character."

Cloud: "Why don't you bring him here if you miss him?"

LTS: "Because I don't want to separate him from his lady-love. He's finally living happily with his Teef."

Cloud: "..." *death-glare* "What?"

* * *

**Title**: Summer break: Bikinis.

"A mix, huh?" Zack commented when Aerith took off her sundress. The upper part of her bikini was tied at her neck with a bow. It had a bow just above her ribcage too, and there were another two at each side of her hips. The fabric was pink, and it had small flowers in the design. As Zack had said, it revealed just a bit, leaving room for imagination.

He turned his eyes to Cissnei, hers was a lot more conservative. He got his sun block and started to rub it on his chest while the girls helped each other with it. His eyes scanned the area. This part of the beach was a private spot, so they were alone. No need to worry about another Reno.

His eyes fell on his sister. She was wearing the swim suit Cloud had picked out for her, and she was stunning in it. He chuckled. Cloud was gawking at Tifa while she gawked at Cloud, the two of them probably thought no one would notice. Cloud tried to help Tifa to rub the suntan lotion, but since her swimsuit covered her back, he didn't have much to do. Poor guy. Zack chuckled again.

Yuffie was currently discussing with Vincent about the need to use sun block, arguing that she liked the pale skin of her boyfriend and the sun would ruin it if he didn't let her rub the lotion on his back. Vincent kept shaking his head in denial, but when Yuffie threatened him with something Zack didn't quite hear, Vincent's face paled -even more- and he turned around. Yuffie let out a victory scream and started to rub the white cream on her boyfriend's back.

His eyes turned once again to the two girls. Cissnei and Aerith had finished with each others backs and they were ready to go, same as Tifa. The only one left was...

Zack got up and walked towards Cloud. "Want me to help you with your back?" The dark haired boy asked with a grin. The grin widened when he saw the face of 'are you crazy!' his friend made and Zack couldn't help but laugh. "Hey, I was kidding!" He laughed harder at Cloud's relieved sigh.

"Something funny?" Aerith approached them with Tifa at her side.

"Cloudy here needs someone to rub lotion on his back." Zack said to the girls.

Cloud half-heartily glared at Zack. "I didn't say I needed help."

The dark haired boy grinned at his friend. "You can do it alone?"

"Turn around."

The two boys turned their eyes to the source of the voice. "Tifa?"

"Turn around." She repeated with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm the one who shares a room with you, and if you don't use any suntan lotion you'll get a sunburn." Tifa approached him and took the bottle from Cloud's hands, pushing at his shoulder so he would turn. "I won't spend the night hearing you tossing and turning while you complain about the pain." She opened the cap of the bottle and after applying some of the cream on his back, she gave the bottle back to Cloud and started to rub the lotion on his back.

She felt his muscles flex under her touch and by the tension on his shoulders, she realised with surprise that Cloud was nervous. He had been the one teasing her and now he was nervous? She continued to rub the lotion, trying to suppress the nervous shaking of her hands. Tifa had been determined to help him only because she didn't want him to get sunburnt, but now that she was actually doing it, she was enjoying it. Sure, she was nervous and the only thing she could hear was her own heartbeat, but the feel of Cloud's surprisingly soft skin, along with the feel of his muscles under her hands was nice. Even if it made her blush at the same time.

Aerith went to Zack's back, as he watched the interactions between Cloud and his sister with a smile, and grabbed a handful of sand. She raised the sand and slowly poured it over Zack's back. When the first grains of sand touched his back, Zack turned his head and saw Aerith staring back at him.

"You haven't put lotion on your back yet." His eyebrow rose in confusion. "If you had, the sand would had stuck on your back." It was true. He had been distracted watching the others and he hadn't thought about himself.

A sudden thought made Zack smirk. "Wanna help?" Before he could finish the question, Aerith had grabbed the bottle from Cloud's slack hands and began squirting some of it into her hand. She gave the bottle to Zack and he turned around. Was she really going to do it?

The feel of her hands on his back was his response.

* * *

**A/N**: Chap 62.

LTS: "Don't worry Cloud, Alistair's Teef is an OC."

Cloud: "... Oh. **Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

LTS: "You know what? I'm gonna bring him here too. If I brought Kou, I can bring him too." *Alistair pops out of nowhere*

Alistair: "Maker's breath!"

LTS: "I can't believe it worked..." *muttering* "And he's wearing the Juggernaut armor... so his game hasn't finished yet..."

Alistair: *turns to LTS* "Where are we, my love?"

LTS: "... What did you say?"

CIH! 05/05/2010 … Maybe bringing Alistair here wasn't a very smart idea...


	63. Downhill

**A/N**: Chap 63. So sorry for the wait! T.T And now, the start of the truth! The beginning of the end! (Thank you all sooo much for the reviews! +300 in 60 chaps!)

LTS: "Okay, now we're alone. Listen. I'm not Teef. I'm LadyTeefStrife, the one who created her."

Alistair: "Of course! And I'm not Alistair, I'm the Maker, the one who created him. Oh, blasphemy... When Andraste herself comes from the fade with her flaming sword to punish me for this, I'll tell her it was your fault."

LTS: "I'm serious here."

Alistair: "Me too!" *smirk* "I was a good and religious man until you used your dark tricks to fool me..."

LTS: *smile* "I thought _you_ were the one who fooled me."

Alistair: *chuckles* "You still remember that?"

LTS: *muttering* "Damn. And I was supposed to be trying to convince him that I'm not Teef? Good job, girl... **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Downhill

..

Between laughter and sun, two months had passed.

The nights had sometimes been hard for Tifa. Many times she caught Cloud watching her sleep across the room from his bed with a soft look in his eyes, making her blush. The way he looked at her made her feel cherished, as if she were special, as if she was the only girl Cloud ever saw in the world.

Sometimes, Tifa tried challenging Cloud's gaze by staring right back at him. However, this didn't deter Cloud, as he simply closed his eyes for a moment before he went right back to watching over her until she fell asleep.

The days had been easier. With the girls there to distract her and Zack to keep her busy, Tifa didn't have the time to worry about how close Cloud was, or how much he made it a point to always be in the same room as her.

One day, the group was having lunch when Yuffie called the group's attention "Hey, guys...", but she didn't say anything more.

Everyone stared at her, waiting for the girl to continue, but she didn't.

"Yuffie?" Aerith asked with concern. The girl had been acting strange for weeks. "What's wrong?"

Yuffie frowned and looked at Aerith. "Remember the last fight I had with my father?" At Aerith's nod she continued. "He said I had to go back to Wutai at the beginning of the next school year."

Aerith's eyes widened upon hearing her friend's confession. "Why didn't you tell me?"

The rest of the group looked at each other. Maybe it would be better if they left them alone?

"What Yuffie means is that, when the break ends, she and I are moving to Wutai." Vincent's low voice made them stare at him.

"Wait." Tifa got up and stared at Vincent. "What?" Her brows furrowed, trying to make sense of the sudden news. "Why is Yuffie going to Wutai? And why are you going too?"

Yuffie sighed. "My father told me that my family only came to Nibelheim so that I could 'get to know world', not to stay. So, I have to go back to Wutai and stay there as the 'princess' of the royal Kisaragi family."

Cissnei's eyebrows shot upwards. "I know my father said it, but... you're actually a princess?"

The black haired girl nodded. "It's not very important, Wutai is a small place, but the Kisaragi family has its duties there, and my father wants me to return there to learn how to rule the country. Not that I want to! I mean, I'd be forced to wear humongous eyesore dresses and be stuck in palace all day. Just imagining it gives me the creeps... me, in a dress? No thanks!" Yuffie bowed her head. "Besides, I don't want to be locked in there my whole life!"

"But it's your duty, right?" Cloud finished for her, causing everyone's eyes to fall on him upon his sudden input. Yuffie dejectedly proffered a nod.

Tifa stared at the blond before turning her eyes to Vincent. "But... you're going too?"

Vincent nodded. "My parents gave me permission to do what I want. They know I don't want to become a scientist, and they understand. Wutai has a rich wildlife and I found a job I like and a place to stay. It's close to the town and it will let me visit Yuffie as much as I want."

Tifa stood in silence. Was he really going to leave? Of course, he would be with his girlfriend and they would be fine by the looks of it, but...

"Not fair!" Zack suddenly shouted and stormed out of the room.

Tifa stared after her brother for a moment before understanding came over her features. Tifa hurried after him to his bedroom.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 63.

LTS: "Alistair?"

Alistair: "Your wish is my command." *_that_ smile*

LTS: "... Don't do that..." *ahem* "I have an idea. Come with me." *both of them disappear in thin air*

Kou: *enters the room* "What? She's gone again?"

Zack: *enters the room* "Something wrong, Kou?"

Kou: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** I think LTS is gone again."

Zack: "R&R and thanks for reading. Nah, I think she's probably fixing the problem with the new guy. She'll be back soon."

CIH! 11/05/2010


	64. Flowers and Drawings

**A/N**: Chap 64.

Yuffie: "Someone wanted to hug me! Wow, that is so cool! Take that Chocobo-head! I don't need to have a badass gigantic overcompensating sword for people to love me."

Cloud: *sigh* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **Just... give the hug."

Yuffie: "Where is LTS? She would have kicked me out by now. She's a meanie! She always interrupts me when I'm talking, and don't make me start with when she asked you to throw me out the window!"

Cloud: "Yuffie, I WISH I could interrupt you when you start rambling, and about the window-"

Zack: *enters the room by the window mumbling to himself* "Why do we even have doors here? A one-story house with windows so big that you can exit and enter the house through them... really."

* * *

**Title**: Flowers and Drawings

..

Brother and sister sat in silence, side by side, on Zack's bed. "You can't blame him, Zack." Tifa stated with a soft voice. "I know he's very important to you, but..." She sighed. How was she supposed to calm Zack down when she was feeling the exact same feeling? She didn't want Vincent to leave either...

"Everything is changing. Everything around us, while we stay in the eye of the storm." Zack paused for a moment, taking several deep breaths while trying to calm down the turmoil in his head. "I don't like it."

Tifa hugged Zack with one arm and leaned forward, resting her head on his chest while he returned the embrace with both arms. "I don't like it either."

A soft knock on the door drew their attention and they drew apart. The door opened slowly and revealed blond spiky hair. "I'm sorry, but Vincent asked me to see if you two were okay..."

"It's okay, you can come in." Cloud nodded upon Tifa's offer and closed the door behind him. The only light in the room was the little sunlight that filtered through the curtains of a single window. Cloud sat on Reno's old bed, in front of the siblings. "Zack?"

"I'm fine Cloud." The statement didn't convince Cloud and his brows furrowed.

"He'll be fine, don't worry." Tifa supplied with a forced smile in Cloud's direction. The latter's frown only deepened.

"What is it?" Cloud asked in a low voice, not wanting to be nosy but needing to know what was wrong. "Is this about Yuffie's news?"

Zack turned his head away, staring at the wall. "He's... Vincent. Vince never leaves. He's always been there..." Zack got up, causing the other two to follow him with their eyes. "I... I need to be alone for a while." With that, he quickly exited the room, leaving Cloud and Tifa alone.

Cloud turned his attention to Tifa again. "He'll be okay. Zack only needs some time." Tifa said, her forced smile still on her lips.

Cloud frowned again. "And you?"

Tifa bowed her head. "It's... It's okay, Cloud." She took a deep breath. "It's just... Vincent." Her head raised, but her eyes remained averted from his. "Vincent has always been there. He's been the only constant in our lives. Since Zack and I were little, the only thing that never changed was Vincent. When something happened, he was always there and fixed everything, even if it was just by being there. He was like a big brother for Zack and me, despite the fact that he is the youngest of the three of us…" She drew back on the bed and sat hugging her legs, her back resting against the wall.

"I met him before Zack." Cloud looked at her, she was hiding her face behind her arms. "I... I met Vincent when you left." Her voice sounded strained, but she didn't stop. "I saw you get on that car with some people from my bedroom's window. I didn't know who they were, but you promised you would be there the next day, so I believed you. But when I went to your house no one answered. I kept knocking on the door, but no sound came from inside. I didn't know what had happened, I just saw you go away without your parents, I was so scared..." A soft sob escaped her lips before she composed herself again. "My mother called me and I was about to go home and ask my parents to help me find you when Vincent called me. It was the first time I saw him so close. I had seen him around the town with his mother, but we never talked. He didn't seem to have many friends, and he didn't seem to like company. He used to always be near the woods with his dog."

Cloud sighed. "I-" He was about to explain to her what happened that day, but Tifa shook her head to stop him.

"I know. Vincent... he told me. He started to walk in front of me while his dog pushed me and tugged on my skirt. He stopped when he reached the first bank he found. We sat there, his dog between us. He pushed his dog's head towards me so I could pet him. I was starting to feel better when Vincent told me what was happening."

Her head rose but she kept avoiding Cloud's eyes. "He told me that his father was the one who found your parents in the accident while he was taking him to school. He told me that his father had to call your family so they could take care of you, and that he was sorry for that. I didn't even know what 'dead' was, but the only thing I knew back then was that he had done something bad and I got mad at him. He was the one who had taken you away in my mind. I yelled at him, asking him why he did something like that, why did he even come to talk with to me if he didn't know me. But he just bowed his head and let me throw all of my pent up confusion at him. When my tears finally started to fall, I just ran to my house."

Tifa took a deep breath before continuing. "I locked myself in my room and cried for hours. My mother tried to calm me down while my father simply stared at me with a frown on his face, not knowing what to do. I knew he cared too, but he just didn't know how to show it. The next day in school, Vincent stared at me with a sad face, but I just ignored him. For the next few months, he would leave drawings or flowers in front of my house or on top of my desk in school, at first I just kept ignoring them, but after some time, I started to keep them." Tifa let out a small chuckle. "I still have some of the drawings in my room, and I made a bookmark with one of the flowers."

"You forgave him?" Cloud asked when Tifa stood in silence.

"I don't think I was actually mad at him, and I think he knew I wasn't. I was just confused and he just wanted me to be able to move on. We never talked before you went away, but he always used to be within eyesight. He was always with his dog and I was always alone or with you, we never crossed paths before that."

"And what happened when you became friends with him?"

"That was after I met Zack. He was one of his friends, I don't know how they met each other, but one day Zack invited him home and I saw him again. He still had the same dog, but now Vincent was bigger than his dog." Tifa laughed at the memory. The male husky was beautiful, but it had scared her the first time she saw it. After spending so many months seeing it around with Vincent, she had grown accustomed to the big dog. But it was a mystery to her how such a big animal could follow Vincent's orders so obediently.

"Teef?" Cloud asked tentatively. He really wanted to know more about her, but he didn't want to push her away. She locked eyes with him, waiting for Cloud to continue. "Would you tell me how you met Zack?"

Her eyes widened for a moment before turning downcast. "It's a long story." She said with a soft tone.

"I have plenty of time." Cloud replied with a soft smile.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 64.

Yuffie: "Okay, where is my hugger?"

VGComposerEscalante: *enters the room through the window* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *hugs Yuffie*

Cloud: "R&R and thanks for reading."

Zack: "No one is going to comment that soon we'll know how Tifa and I met?"

Yuffie: *hugging back* "Who cares? I got a hug!"

CIH! 14/05/2010 I hope someone cares...


	65. Window to freedom

**A/N**: Chap 65.

Zack: "How did it go? Did you convince Alistair?"

LTS: "He's too stubborn for that. I had to use another method."

Cloud: "What did you do?"

LTS: "I told him I already have a boyfriend and he has his love waiting for him in Thedas. After that he returned to his game." *shrug*

Zack: "That easily...? Wait... you lied to Alistair so he would return to his game?"

LTS: "You know I never lie. My motto, remember? 'Always tell the truth!'."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Window to freedom

..

_Seven months had passed since Cloud had left Nibelheim. Vincent's drawings already filled up one of the drawers in Tifa's room and they would soon fill another at the rate she kept receiving them._

_Tifa looked at the latest drawing and a small smile appeared across her lips. Since Cloud went away, Vincent had managed to make her regain her smile without realizing it. Tifa smiled wider and left her room._

"When I got to the kitchen, my father had my mother in his arms. They were on the floor, my mother wasn't moving while my father was rocking her back and forth. I remember that he was talking to her, telling her that he was sorry and that he wouldn't be able to raise me without her. I didn't understand the true meaning of his words until I met Shalua."

"I walked towards them, wondering what was wrong. I knew something bad had happened and I wanted to ask, but as soon as my father saw me, he let go of my mother and left. I didn't care. I just kneeled in front of my mother's corpse and let the tears fall, calling out to her, trying to wake her up. I fell asleep there, cradled in my mother's cold embrace."

"My father returned two days later. The first thing he did was take me to my room and lock me in there for hours. When he opened the door again he didn't even look at me, he simply packed a few things while ordering me to do the same and we left the house. The next thing I knew was that we were in a different house, and he had locked me in a room again. I spent hours crying, trying to open the door, and screaming to whoever cared to listen to get me out of there. I wanted to go back to my mom."

"The only light was the glimmer from below the door and some cracks through the planks of wood blocking the window. The floor was dusty, and the only furniture was a single bed. My father came by now and then to bring me food and 'water', but otherwise I spent the days alone in that room. When I met Shalua, I discovered that the water was my father's blood, and what kept me from having any episodes when I was little."

"One day, I finally asked my father where my mother was, what had happened to her, why we weren't in our home. He looked at me as if he was surprised I was there. It was the first time he had really looked at me since my mother died. The next thing I remember was an intense pain in my head and falling to the floor. I tried to get up but he grabbed one of my arms and held me in the air."

"_She's dead! She died for you! You sucked the life out of her like a parasite and now she's dead!"_

Tifa closed her eyes tightly against the memory. Her hands rose to cover her ears in a vain effort to make the voice in her head shut up.

"Teef?" The low voice made her open her eyes. Cloud was looking straight into her eyes, his hands reaching to her, but not touching. "Are you okay?"

_'No...'_ She thought. She wasn't okay, but she had to be. "Yes, I'm fine."

A frown appeared on Cloud's face. "You want to stop?"

She shook her head. "No, it's okay." Tifa leaned back against the wall and took a deep breath. It had been a long time since she had talked about her past so much. "I spent the next few years like that, locked in that dusty room. One day, I started to hear something hitting the planks of wood covering up the window. By then I was tall enough to look through the cracks in the wood and I searched for the source of the sound. That was when I saw Zack for the first time. He was throwing pebbles at my boarded up window with a scowl on his face. I kinda fell into a trance as I stared at him. I didn't knew who he was, or why he was so mad, but I couldn't stop watching him."

"I saw him wander around for a moment and grab a rock from the ground. Instants later, I was ducking behind the wall when the rock hit the old wood so hard that it broke and shot splinters all over the place. When I opened my eyes, the room was bathed in light from the sunset. It made everything glow and gave the whole room an ethereal look. I turned around, looking through the recently made hole and I saw Zack staring at me with wide eyes. He muttered an apology and started to leave."

"I felt I had to do something. I didn't wanted him to go away, I wanted to talk to him, to ask him why he was mad, why he was throwing rocks at my window, ask him who he was... but I couldn't. I started to cry. It had been so long since I had seen so much light... so long since I had seen another person... He suddenly stopped and fell on his knees."

"_I... I'm sorry..." He bowed his head in apology and shame. "... I didn't mean to break it." His hands gripped fistfuls of his shirt while tears fell from his eyes. "I... I hate this place!" The eight year old screamed. "I don't want to be here! I want to go back home!" The little boy fell to the floor while fat tears rolled down his cheeks. "I'm really sorry... I didn't mean to cause any trouble..."_

"_... Thank you." The dark haired boy looked up and saw a small smile on the girl's tear stained face. "... Thank you!"_

"I fell to my knees crying my heart out while Zack did the same in front of my house. We cried for different reasons, we cried for ourselves, for our own pain, but we cried together. My father entered the room and stood there, watching me for a long time. Then he suddenly grabbed me by my hair and pulled me out of that room. The next time he locked me there, the window was boarded up again and I couldn't even see through the cracks anymore."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 65.

Cloud: "Then you really have a boyfriend now?"

LTS: "Yeah, what's so strange about it?"

Cloud: "Poor guy."

LTS: "Hey! What's that supposed to mean!"

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** He must be the most patient man in the world to put up with you."

LTS: "R&R and thanks for reading." *turns to Zack* "You too!"

Kou: "I pity him."

LTS: "Hey! I know I'm crazy, but that's not so bad... is it?"

CIH! 01/06/2010


	66. Cold heart

**A/N**: Chap 66

Cloud: "Where is Lady?"

Zack/Kou: "Boyfriend."

Tifa: "She said she was going to spend some time talking with her boyfriend."

Cloud: "That was more than a week ago."

Kou: "That girl is a pain..." *leaves the room* "I'll bring her back! You three take care of disclaimers and such!"

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **You guys think what we're doing is right?"

Tifa: "I don't think Kou can harm LTS, and we really do need her to come back."

* * *

**Title**: Cold heart.

..

Cloud got up and opened the window of the room, letting some sunlight enter, and sat on the windowsill before asking. "You want to stop?"

Tifa shook her head in response. "I'm fine." She raised her head from where it was hidden in-between her arms and continued her tale. "One day my father stopped bringing me his blood. He said that I was a parasite, that I was sucking the life out of him as I had done to my mother."

Cloud's brows furrowed in confusion. "He gave you blood bags, right? But I thought you said that those only worked when the taint was about to be unleashed…"

Tifa nodded before explaining. "My parents' blood was different. The bags were different somehow."

"Does it have something to do with the fact that they didn't have a name?"

Tifa nodded again. "They had been Hojo's test subjects ever since they were kids, and they were only known by their code-names. They were only together because it was the way it had always been, not because they were in love."

"I see..." After taking a long breath, Cloud turned his head to look at Tifa directly. He knew he was close to something really important. "What happened when your father stopped giving you blood?"

Tifa hid her head in her arms again. "... The taint was released." She made herself as small as possible by hugging herself tight. "I felt an intense pain and started screaming. My father entered the room a few minutes later and then the taint was completely released. He stared at me for some time while I screamed and writhed on the floor in pain. When he finally approached me, he grabbed the wings and started to pull, trying to rip them off. In that moment I felt a surge of strength and I turned around. The next thing I remember was him, lying on the floor in front of me, cold and unmoving. The first time I let the taint control me, I murdered my own father. I was only 8 years old."

Before she could raise her head from her arms, Cloud sat by her side and pulled her to him, forcing her head to rest on his chest and embraced her with his arms. "What happened next?"

Tifa leaned on him, her face hidden from view, and replied with a soft voice. "Zack and his parents came in and found me there. Apparently they had been coming by ever since I met Zack, but my father never let them see me. The next few weeks after my father's death are just a blur for me, the only thing I remember clearly was the day Zack and I went to my house and we threw rocks at the window of my room until the boarded up window was cleared up."

Cloud tightened his embrace. "Why are you living in that house again?"

"Because I didn't want to be anywhere else. My old house made me think about you all the time. The house we're living in now... well, I still love the way everything glows in the afternoon, when the sun enters through that window. I don't really have many bad memories about that house anymore. Not as much as I used to anyway. Living with you, Zack, and Angeal has helped me to move on from my past."

Cloud nodded in agreement. "It has been a really good time."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 66.

LTS: "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! I swear I'm trying to be here as much as possible!"

Kou: "Then start writing."

LTS: "I'm trying..."

Kou: "Wait... that's it? The chapter is already over?"

LTS: "I'm trying! Besides, this part is over... no one wants fillers, right? The next chap will be about what Zack did when he wandered off alone after Cloud entered the room."

Kou: *glare* "And you couldn't just put this in chapter 65?"

LTS: "I'm trying I said! Busy plus writer's block isn't a good combination you know?"

CIH! 10/06/2010


	67. Friends and sand

**A/N**: Chap 67.

LTS: "Guys... please, put the torches and pointy things down... I'm sorry about the wait, really!"

Cloud: "It's been a month."

Zack: "More than a month."

Kou: "You have no idea of the chaos that has reigned while you were out."

LTS: "I have a fair idea... and I'm sorry for the long delay with the reviews and PM replies too."

Tifa: "Maybe we're being a bit too harsh on her?"

Cloud: "Tifa. A month. A whole month with no one to control Sephiroth and his little clones. Plus, no one to restrain the hugging monster SHE created."

Tifa: "..." *looks at Kou* "Do you know where I can find some rope or something like that?"

LTS: "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**... and I don't like the evil look on Teef's face..."

* * *

**Title**: Friends and sand

..

Zack laid back on the sand, letting the breeze play with his hair and calm him down. He still couldn't accept nor believe Yuffie and Vincent's news. He closed his eyes and let the peaceful environment alleviate his mood.

"If you want to sleep here you should at least get a towel to lay on. Your hair is full of sand."

Zack's eyes opened upon hearing Aerith's soft laugh. After locking eyes for a moment, Aerith sat at his side and turned her face to the sea.

"Want to talk about it?" She asked without looking at him. Zack sighed.

Straightening up a bit, he stated. "You don't need to do this, Aerith."

She turned her eyes to him and gave him a soft smile. "I know. But I want to." She smiled wider and ruffled his hair, making some of the sand fall off. "That's what... friends... do, right?" Her voice faltered with every word of the sentence.

Friends... that sounded so small...

"I met Vincent just after meeting Tifa." Zack's sudden statement startled Aerith. She wasn't really expecting him to tell her what was wrong, but at least she wanted to be there just in case. She wanted to be the one there if he needed someone.

"I was walking back home when a husky appeared in front of me. He stood there watching me for a long time until Vincent approached us. With a simple look at the dog, it stepped away and sat at Vincent's side. I was still looking at the dog when Vincent stepped forward and stood in front of me. He looked like he was mad at me, but he didn't want to show it."

"_You have talked to Tifa." It wasn't a question. "And you made her cry."_

"I just stood there watching him, I didn't know what to say. The next day he came to my house and asked me to go outside with him. I didn't know why, but since that day he came by every day to play with me. It was a really sudden change from the first meeting."

"You said you didn't know why he came to play with you after that, do you know why now?" Aerith asked tentatively. She didn't want to push her luck with Zack. He usually told her everything she wanted to know, but when it was about his past, it was better to let him tell her and not rush him.

"I think he just felt as lonely as Tifa and I did. He's always been alone with his dog. His parents were too busy with their jobs to pay too much attention to him, and Vincent isn't the most friendly type of person. He only tries to befriend those that he thinks are worthy of the effort, but strangely, it seems that he only likes wounded people. People who had a hard past, who feel as lonely as him, who are having a bad moment... I asked him about that once, and he said that normal people are boring, so they aren't worth the effort to understand."

"I think I understand that." Aerith murmured to herself. "To fully understand someone you have to know everything about them, the good and the bad. To really be someone's friend, you can't only be there for the good times, right?" She looked at Zack and laughed softly. "Besides, I think normal people are boring too. Don't you agree?"

Zack looked at her and felt a smirk creeping up his lips. "I don't know, I always thought you were pretty normal." She stopped laughing and looked at him intensely with her green eyes. "Well, except when you're all red and puffy from crying."

That earned him a smack up the head.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 67.

Tifa: "There you go. Now you can't go anywhere."

LTS: "You're serious? You're all gonna leave me here all tied up? What if something pink comes after me? I won't be able to get away from it! And what if-"

Cloud: "Just write and regain our trust."

Zack: "Don't worry Lady! When we know you won't run away again, we'll untie you, promise."

LTS: "And when will that be?"

Cloud: "..."

Tifa: "..."

Zack: "... When you finish all of the fanfics on your 'to do list'?"

LTS: "..." *facedesk*

CIH! 17/07/2010 (What the... Why fanfiction doesn't permits exclamation and interrogation in the same sentence anymore? O.o It keeps erasing one or the other... I think I've missed some things while I was out XD Oh wait... "CIH!"? Where's my second exclamation? Uhh... I hate you sometimes, fanfiction...)


	68. Aerith

**A/N**: Chap 68.

LTS: "Hey, another chapter! Who would have thought?"

Cloud: "Seems like being tied works good on you."

LTS: *stares at Cloud* "... What the..."

Zack: "... Cloud... I think you want to rephrase that..."

Cloud: *blank face* "I do?"

LTS: "Leave him be, Zack. He's too innocent sometimes."

Zack: "I think we should let you go just in case. This is a T rated fic, after all."

Aerith: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *unties LTS*

LTS: *points at Aerith* "What is she doing here?"

* * *

**Title**: Aerith

..

Yuffie sat on Vincent's side on the couch and stared up at him. "Zack is going to hate me for the rest of my life for taking you away from him, huh?"

Vincent looked at her and nodded with the hint of a smirk on his lips. "Maybe."

The short girl let out a deep sigh and let her head rest on her boyfriend. "You two are really close."

"... I guess we are."

..

"I don't think I can imagine Vincent with a dog." Aerith said seriously. "I think a bird would suit him better."

"Since when are pets part of fashion?" Zack commented while laughing at the girl's random statement.

"He had a really hard time when Blue died." A voice spoke from behind the pair.

Zack and Aerith turned around. "I thought I said I wanted to be alone?" The dark-haired boy asked with a raised eyebrow while Cloud and Tifa made themselves comfortable on the sand.

"Well, we saw you here with Aerith and thought that you didn't want to be alone anymore." Tifa sat on the sand by her brother's side. "Are you' feeling better?" She smiled upon Zack's nod.

"Sorry, but who's 'Blue'?" Aerith asked out of curiosity.

Tifa looked to her other side and saw Cloud, silently asking the same. "He was Vincent's Husky. He died when we were ten years old."

"I think Vincent started to act like our father after that. I guess we became his new pets." Zack joked about it, but the tone on his voice made it clear that it was a really serious matter and silence washed over them. That day hadn't been a very happy one, but it had helped them get to know each other better, and that was enough.

They stayed there, enjoying the peaceful silence and basking in all of the things that had happened in the last few hours. Cloud looked at Tifa on his right before looking at the darkening sky with a peaceful expression. He looked at his left arm, knowing that the reason that she wasn't worried was because of said arm. It was now more than two months since he began giving her his blood, and the taint was being kept under control. Tifa hadn't become violent, and she seemed to be more accepting of his help now.

She still tried to hide it from him, though. He was the one who had to bring up the subject when he had to give her blood. She never asked for it.

Suddenly, the sound of a phone broke the mood and Aerith got up with a quick apology. She took a few steps away and answered her cell phone.

"Aerith here." She said over the phone while smoothing the skirt of her summer dress.

"_Aerith, honey, I think you should come back home."_ Her mother's voice sounded from the other end of the line.

Aerith looked at the screen of her phone. The number was her mother personal phone. "Is something wrong, mom?" She asked with a worried voice. _'Why does she want me to come back so suddenly?'_

"_Who are you with, Aerith? You told us Yuffie-"_

"I told you that Yuffie and I would go to the beach house of a friend and we would stay there for the summer break. And I told you-" Aerith stopped when she heard her father's voice.

"_Give me the phone, Ifalna."_ The green-eyed girl heard some ruffling and then Gast's voice was clear from the other side. _"You didn't say the Fairs would be there."_

Aerith tried to swallow past the lump in her throat. "I know... But still, they are friends of mine, and-"

"_That girl is dangerous and you know it. Maybe the rest of your friends don't because they haven't been living in Nibelheim as long as we have, but you saw what that girl can do. Poor Valentine's child had a rough time recovering from his trauma. I don't want you to be near her or her brother. Only Shiva knows what those two are hiding."_

Aerith clenched her fists, gripping tightly to her phone to the point of almost breaking it. It was true. She knew Tifa and Zack were hiding something, and that Tifa could be dangerous. But still, they were her friends. "They're my friends, dad." She didn't say anything else. She knew she couldn't quell her parents' worry. They were her parents after all.

"_Aerith, you know we love you. But I don't trust that girl, and the Valentines say the same."_

_'Yeah, what else did you expected them to say?'_ Aerith replied in her mind. After all, it was their son who saw the red demon, as her father called it. "Dad, for once I want to make my own decisions. I've always done what you and mom wanted me to do and I've never complained, I've trusted your judgment. But for once, I need you two to trust mine." She finished with conviction in her voice, even if she was trembling with nervousness.

A long silence fell over the phone conversation, and then the phone was back in her mother's hands. _"Sweetie, just be careful, okay? We are worried about you. If the whole town is weary of that girl, it has to be for a reason."_

Aerith let out a long, deep breath and relaxed. "I know mom." She smiled. "And you know I'm always careful. Tifa is a good person. Even if the whole town is against her, I've never seen her do anything wrong. We can't just blindly believe what others say, can we? I know the Valentine family had a problem with her years ago, but I don't think she deserves that 'red demon' title."

Ifalna stood in silence for a long time before replying. _"Okay sweetheart."_

"Mom?" Aerith asked when her mother stood silent again.

_"We trust you, Aerith."_

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 68

LTS: "I thought I would never said this, but in these last two chapters, I've liked you, Aerith."

Aerith: "Really?" *sweet smile*

LTS: "And you've been surprisingly easy to write too..."

Aerith: "I'm glad it was easy for you after all the problems you had lately to write."

LTS: "Oh no..."

Aerith: *stares at LTS* "What?"

LTS: "I think I'm becoming a zerith fan..."

Aerith/Zack: "REALLY! ?"

LTS: *thinks* "... Nah, I think the moment passed."

CIH! 19/07/2010 LTS: "Still... I'm liking it more and more..."


	69. The red demon

**A/N**: Chap 69

LTS: *tied again* "I guess I shouldn't have joked with the zerith..."

Zack: "Yeah, you shouldn't."

LTS: "And why did you have to tie me again?"

Aerith: "Just a bit of punishment. We'll let you go the next time we see some zerith here."

LTS: "What? I wasn't planning to put any more zerith for the moment!" *Aerith and Zack go away* "Hey! Where are you both going?"

Pheace: *enters the house and sees LTS tied to her desk* "..." *stares at LTS* "... Yummie!"

LTS: *ignores the comment* "Yay! Just in time, love! Can you untie me?"

Pheace: " Of course I will love!" *evil look* "eventually..." *carries LTS away*

LTS: *while Pheace carries her away* "... Wait, what?"

Zack: *from a distance* "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything**... did he carried Lady to her room?"

Aerith: "... Yes, he did..."

Zack: "... That was... forward..."

Aerith: "Oh, come on. You would have done the same if it was me and you know it."

* * *

**Title**: The red demon

..

Ifalna hung up the phone and turned to her husband. "She'll be alright."

A long breath left Mr Gast, his back turned to his wife. "I hope you're right."

"I think Aerith has a point." The long haired woman embraced her husband from behind, letting her head rest on his back. "We don't really know what happened -no one knows. The only ones who could explain the blood on that red-eyed girl's back are Valentine's kid, her brother, and herself. And they aren't going to say anything about it."

He remembered the day Lucrecia Crescent appeared at their doorstep. She was frantically searching for her son. She told them that he had run away from home and he was possibly hiding in some friend's house. After telling Lucrecia that the only ones they had ever seen Vincent with were the Fairs, she left.

The Gast family left the house too. Nibelheim was a small town, and everyone tried to help each other when in need. After two hours of walking around, they found little Zack. He was carrying his sister at his back, while hers was covered in blood.

At the end, and after taking the siblings to their parents, the combined efforts of the Gast and the Valentine families found Vincent Valentine hiding near the woods. It seemed he had run away after his parents told him why 'Blue' wouldn't follow him anymore.

Vincent was terrified. He said something about going to play with the Fairs because he didn't wanted to be alone after Blue had left him, and then he started to scream something about Tifa.

No one ever knew where the blood on Tifa's back came from. She didn't have any injure, and neither her brother or the Valentine's kid. Some people thought that she had something to do with the dog's death and that was why she had so much blood on herself, but what kind of ten year old girl could kill a full grown Husky? Besides, the Valentine family left clear that the dog had died of old age and _before_ Vincent had left the house.

Still, that didn't stop people from making up rumors until no one knew where the truth started and the rumors ended. And that made everyone even more weary of the red-eyed girl. Some people even started to call her 'the red demon'.

Gast bowed his head in shame. Even _he_ had started to call the little girl that way.

But... who was the first?

He tried to recall for a moment. He knew someone had started to spread the rumors.

Strangely, the only thing he could recall was silver hair.

..

"You think we should bring Vincent back too? I've heard the Gasts are going to call their daughter." The woman asked while fidgeting with her necklace.

"Vincent has been around the Fairs since he was four years old. I don't think there's any problem, Lucrecia." Mr Valentine replied before continuing to read the newspaper.

"But what if 'that' happens again? The Lazards said that it could."

"We already tried told Vincent to stay away from them, and he didn't listen to us. With all the time that has happened since then -and no one has seen anything strange- I think our son was right." Lucrecia looked at him and he closed his eyes.

He still could remember the frightened voice of his son, telling him what had happened. By then he only could think that -if it was true- a human capable of sprout wings could be the research of his life, and with that way of thinking, he went to see the Fairs. After trying to talk, convince, and even bribe them into letting their daughter be used in the favor of science and not succeeding, he decided gave up.

That was until Vincent suddenly started to play with the Fairs again.

Lucrecia and himself convinced their son to invite his friends home one day, and he did. When the siblings saw the laboratory installations, the boy stood in front of his sister and didn't let anyone approach her.

Vincent just stood there, watching his parents and his friends look at each other for a long time until Grimoire took a step forward. Then his own son turned against him and pushed him away from his friends with all his strength.

"_This is why you wanted them to come? She's not a laboratory rat! Tifa's my friend, and Zack too! I could even consider them my parents by all the time they have spent with me!" _

After his outburst, fourteen-year-old Vincent made his best to shot a glare at him and his wife before opening the door and let his friends out. Once they were out of earshot, he spoke again. _"They were the ones who cried with me when Blue died, which wouldn't have if you hadn't used him for your stupid research." _

He looked at them one last time before following his friends outside. _"And I would choose to become one of your test subjects over becoming like you any day, so no. I don't want to be a scientist."_ He was about to cross the door when he suddenly stopped and spoke over his shoulder. _"And mom?"_ He waited until she took a step forward, waiting for what he had to say. _"I'll be back at eight. I'll be at Zack's house until then if you both need me."_

Grimoire opened his eyes and his mind came back to the present and smiled. As odd as it may sound, he was proud of his son for that outburst.

..

"You think it worked?" Loz asked to his brother.

"I'm sure the Gasts will try to get back their daughter, but I think the Valentines are too confident of their son's judgment." Yazoo replied while packing his things for Midgar. "Either way we can't do anything else. Now it's time for let everything build up and see how it goes."

"Why didn't we try with the Kisaragi family? They sure are protective of their girl."

"That girl is closer to Valentine than to anyone else, so it wouldn't change a thing to take her away. Besides, I think we did more than enough here. The 'red demon' rumor worked quite well, Loz."

He laughed before replying. "Her eyes always seemed strange to me, so I thought we could use it." Yazoo started at his brother for a long time before letting out a long sigh and closing his suitcase.

**A/N**: End of chap 69

* * *

LTS: *stumbles her way to her desk* "Ghn..." *stretching* "Uhhh... I'm really tired now..." *rubs her wrists* "I'm so gonna throw that rope the next time I see it... that was damn scratchy!"

Zack/Aerith: *stare at LTS* "..."

LTS: "What?" *stares at them* "Oh wait... you aren't thinking... HEY! We were playing games!"

Aerith: "It's okay Lady, we understand."

Zack: "Yeah sure... Of course you were playing... 'games'."

LTS: "Computer games!" *huffs* "Okay, fine, don't believe me!" *goes away*

Aerith: "Wasn't she a _console_ gamer?"

Zack: "And didn't we leave her wrists _untied_ so she could keep writing?"

CIH! 20/07/2010 LTS: *sees everyone staring at her* "... What?"


	70. Gold Saucer

**A/N**: Chap 70

LTS: "So, you don't like me and I don't like you, but someone wants a hug from you."

Vincent: "I've never said I don't like you."

LTS: "Oh, really? Well, then I like you. Well, not too much... I don't dislike you?"

Vincent: "Why are you asking me?"

LTS: "Because I don't know?"

Vincent: "You are a strange girl."

LTS: "I don't think you have any right to call someone that."

7th-HartStrife-duh: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *hugs Vincent*

* * *

**Title**: Gold Saucer

_.._

After her mother hung up, Aerith returned to Zack's side. "Sorry, parents called."

Tifa leaned forward to see past her brother. "Is everything okay?"

Aerith stared at her for some time, thinking about the conversation she just had with her mother before smiling and giving Tifa a nod. "Yeah. They were just worried."

"There you guys are." They turned around and saw Cissnei looking at them. "We were looking for you."

Everyone got up and approached her. "Is something wrong?" Zack asked while patting away the remaining sand from his hair and clothes.

..

"I love this place!" Aerith exclaimed while looking around, Yuffie hot on her heels.

"Yeah! Everything is so cute and exciting at the same time!"

"And the music is really loud!" Zack shouted over said music to be heard while covering his ears.

Used to living in a peaceful place like Nibelheim, the lights and sheer noise of Gold Saucer made the group wince, except for Aerith and Yuffie, who were enjoying every second of it.

"Seriously, we could have spent that money on something better!" Zack yelled again over the music.

"You'll get used to the music soon, Zack." Cissnei told him, her voice reaching him even though she didn't yell.

"How do you do that?" Zack asked, but the music spiked again and his voice was engulfed by it. Zack sighed in defeat and followed the group to the entrance.

Thanks to the money Shera gave her daughter, they had been able to pay for the food without any problems, and they still had some for the rest of the break. They had been saving their own money before Cissnei received the 'extra', so now they had enough to go somewhere, which she had proposed they do when she found them sitting on the beach.

So there they were, Gold Saucer. Zack looked around again. All of the lights were starting to make him dizzy, and the loud music was really annoying. He glared at the entrance. _'A giant mog? Really? We just get puked out by a giant plushy thing?'_

The feeling of someone's hand on his arm made Zack look down. "I'm sure it's not so bad, Zack." Tifa said while smiling at him. "Aerith and Yuffie are having a great time, and Cloud, Cissnei and Vincent seem to enjoy it too, even if it's by seeing the girls so happy." Tifa laughed softly, watching Yuffie and Aerith run around the entrance like kids while Cissnei bought the tickets. "Besides, I've heard there's video games in here. Want to check them out?" She asked him with a smile.

He rolled his eyes. "Sure, I'm gonna beat some ten-year-old kids at video games, and then I'll eat some pink and fluffy cotton candy." Tifa raised an eyebrow at him and they stood staring at each other until realisation dawned upon him. "Video games and candy... and loud music. _And_ lights everywhere."

Zack grinned as he left Tifa with the rest, he stood between Aerith and Yuffie while they stared at the giant mog near the entrance. "What could be cooler than an entrance that makes you feel like you're being eaten or puked out by a giant plushy thing?" He asked with a cheeky grin.

Tifa watched her brother join the girls. "Looks like they will be going together." She told Cissnei.

"You want to go with them?"

Tifa shook her head. "I don't feel like running all over the place."

"Then you can come with us. I don't think Vincent or Cloud want to wander around too much either."

Once they where inside they approached the information board and Cissnei started to read about the different places.

_Welcome to Gold Saucer! Many attractions await you here at Gold Saucer. You will be moved and excited, thrilled and terrified! Led from one zone to another...Unlike anything you've ever experienced! Make YOUR memories...Today._

"We are in Station Square. There's seven more places where we can go."

Yuffie stood at Cissnei's side and read aloud the information for all of them to hear. "Wonder Square; A number of games await you here. Collect GP at Wonder Square and play some more!"

"That one is for me." Zack commented before taking Yuffie's place in reading. "Battle Square; Go to the limits in heated battles! Try your hand at the special Gold Attack!"

"That place sounds good for Tifa." Everyone turned around and looked at Cloud. "She's good with her fists." The group kept staring at him -not believing that someone like Tifa could fight like that- until Cloud gave up and read the next information to change the subject. "Chocobo Square; Chocobo Racing takes you into the world of Virtual Reality."

"You read it wrong!" Yuffie huffed.

Cloud looked at her. "I just read what it says."

"You didn't read it all."

The blond-haired boy rolled his eyes. "Chocobo Racing takes you into the world of Virtual Reality, wark, wark. Happy now?"

"Oh! I want to see the chocobos!" Aerith exclaimed while raising a hand.

"I want to go see them too!" Yuffie raised a hand too.

"That's fine, you and Aerith will probably want to go to the same places, so you both can go together." Said Cissnei before continuing to read. "Event Square; An entertaining show is awaiting you."

"That was short." Vincent said from Yuffie's side.

"Yeah, they didn't explain too much, but I guess it's some kind of play for kids." Said Tifa before going to read the next piece of info. "Ghost Square; Please come and stay at the hotel...ha ha ha..."

"That place is where we'll spend the night, so we don't need to visit it before." Cissnei explained. "Round Square; Take a tour of the park and see the beautiful night scenery of Gold Saucer."

"I think I'll leave that one for the girls." Zack looked at Aerith. "Unless you want us to go there together?" He asked with a smirk.

The green-eyed girl flashed him a smirk of her own. "Don't worry, if I want to go there I'll ask Tifa. Since you want to leave it for the girls and all." Her smirk transformed into a smile when Zack pretended to be offended by her response. "Speed Square; A shooting Roller Coaster is waiting to take you into the world of excitement."

"_That_ one is for me!" Exclaimed Zack before raising his hand as the girls had done before.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 70

7th-HartStrife-duh: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**" *goes away*

LTS: "Well, that was a quick hug. You can't complain."

Vincent: "... Read and review."

LTS: "Oh! And thanks for reading."

Vincent: "You forgot to say it in the last chapters."

LTS: "I know. Well, it's okay, isn't it? After 60+ chapters, I think people got the message already. I don't think I need to repeat it every time..."

CIH! … this, I'll keep repeating. 22/07/2010


	71. Cissnei

**A/N**: Chap 71

Zack: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **So you're not going to go on vacation?"

LTS: "Nope. Why should I? I have everything I want here. Of course a visit to the beach would be nice, but still, I'll stick with all of you."

Tifa: "You won't be here with all of us. I think everyone is going to leave for Costa del Sol or another world, except you."

LTS: "Really? Even you?"

Tifa: "Cloud and I are going to our villa with the kids. Sorry."

LTS: "So... I'm gonna be alone here for the summer?"

* * *

**Title**: Cissnei

..

After spending the day going from one amazing Square to another, having lots of fun, the group decided to call it a day and retired for the night at the hotel.

They rented two rooms, one for the girls, and one for the boys. Both rooms contained very tired occupants who quickly fell asleep after assigning beds. This time, the fake ghosts and creepy sounds of the ghost hotel didn't keep any of the guests up for any length of time.

The next morning, Cloud woke up to an empty room. He looked around, searching for his friends, only to find them missing. Thinking they had probably woken up earlier than him and would be waiting outside with the girls, he readied himself and exited the room.

"Good morning." Cissnei's voice rang out from behind him in greeting.

After closing the door and sliding the key into his pocket, he faced her. "Morning." Suddenly he felt like he was missing something. She was looking at him with a knowing smirk on her face, her eyes playful. "Something wrong?" He finally asked.

"Not at all." She answered with a smile. "I was just wondering if you'd want to go out with me?"

Cloud's eyes widened. "What?"

"Oh, you know. Get something for breakfast, visit some Squares... The others already left and I thought that we could… go together?" She made it sound like a question.

He looked around. It was true that no one was there, and maybe he'd find Tifa and the rest in one of the Squares. He nodded and followed Cissnei.

Three hours later, and still no luck.

He had been searching, while Cissnei dragged him along, for any trace of their friends, but they seemed to have disappeared from the entire Gold Saucer.

Two more hours and he started to notice Cissnei was acting strange.

She was starting to remind him of Aerith and Yuffie at times, full of energy, and dragging everyone else along. They were having a late lunch at the Speed Square, when he finally spoke up about his strange feeling. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

Cissnei sat up a bit straighter and after a moment, she replied. "Like what?"

Cloud restrained himself from rolling his eyes. _'Neutral response.'_ He sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Like where the others are."

She poked at her food with her fork, her eyes averted from him. "They could be anywhere."

"But they aren't." He simply replied. "We've been in every Square and we haven't seen them. And this place isn't so crowded that we'd miss crossing paths." He crossed his arms over his chest and waited for her reply.

Cissnei let out a deep sigh, finally giving up. "Look, I've tried. They asked me to entertain you while they went to the Event Square. I can't tell you why, though."

"Then is that why you've been acting so strange?" Cloud asked while leaning back forward, resuming his lunch.

"When I told them I shouldn't be the one doing the entertainment job, mainly because we don't know each other too much, Aerith started giving me all of these tips to be more approachable so I could convince you." She tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I don't think they worked too well, though."

After the silent lunch, Cloud asked. "Did they tell you how long you were supposed to entertain me?"

"They asked me to not let you go to the Event Square until five." She answered while walking by his side.

"Two hours to go, then."

They were aimlessly walking through the Squares, stopping whenever something caught their eye or reminded them of something funny that had happened the previous day. After another hour of wandering around, they decided to just wait outside the forbidden place until the clock struck five.

They sat side by side and let the time pass in silence until Cissnei broke it. "Genesis told me she looked like Tifa." Cloud turned to look at her, but Cissnei stared straight ahead. People walked by them while kids ran around, but still, a strange private sensation surrounded them, as if a bubble kept them separated from the rest of the world.

"Who?" Cloud asked when she didn't say any more.

"His girlfriend." She kept looking ahead. "Genesis told me that he felt confused when he saw Tifa because of that. He told me they are, in appearance and character, like negatives of each other." Cloud kept looking at her, a sad expression on her face. "He really loved that girl, you know?" After a long time, Cissnei finally looked at him. "I know you love Tifa, but... if the same thing happens to her... if she disappears... She wouldn't want you to be obsessed about it, like my brother is."

He didn't reply. There wasn't a need to, he already knew what she really wanted to say but he wasn't going to go away to spare the pain later, nor was he going to give up if something happened, just like Genesis hadn't either. He turned his face away and watched the people passing by in front of them. For a moment, Cloud felt like Genesis's shadow. Genesis had been in love with the same girl since childhood, like him and Tifa. And now Cloud was doing the something Genesis did to prevent the episodes.

"Do you think she's dead?" Cloud suddenly asked and Cissnei turned her eyes away. "You keep talking about her in past tense, but she's just missing, isn't she?"

She turned her eyes to the sky this time. "It's been too much. Too much time, too much pain." Cissnei closed her eyes. "And neither of you deserve to go through the same thing my brother did."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 71

LTS: "At least I'll make Kou stay... And I could call some of the reviewers... or better yet..."

Zack: "Am I the only one that is afraid when Lady plots something?"

LTS: "If you don't want to be stuck here without your vacation, you'd better stay quiet."

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything. **What are you going to do?"

LTS: "Well, since everyone is going to be gone, I'm gonna go on vacation to another world." *everyone glares at her* "I'll take my laptop, don't worry..."

Tifa: "R&R... You're going to visit another game?"

LTS: "And thanks for reading. Yeah... It's been ages since I visited Dante and Lady..."

CIH! 25/07/2010


	72. Event Square

**A/N**: Chap 72

LTS: "Never again."

Dante: *laughing* "But it has been fun!"

LTS: "Like hell it has been fun! I won't trust you to drive again!"

Lady: "You let Dante drive you here? You know what happened the last time he drove a bike, right?" *glares at Dante*

LTS: "Yeah... it was a stupid thing to do."

Dante: "**Disclaimer: LTS doesn't own anything.** And I know you enjoyed it."

LTS: "Yeah, sure. Because driving at insane speeds between a horde of demons is my idea of fun."

Dante: *smirking* "It's not?"

LTS: *thinks* "... Maybe it is..."

* * *

**Title**: Event Square.

..

Cloud stared blankly ahead, waiting for the time to pass. He still didn't know why his friends didn't want him to find them, or what they were doing at the Event Square.

"You two are already here?" Cissnei and Cloud turned in their seat to the feminine voice. Aerith stared back at them. "You can come in now if you want to, but we still have to wait some time for the little kids' play to finish."

"It's okay, at least it will be better than doing nothing." Cissnei said before disappearing through the entrance.

True, watching a kids play wasn't his ideal of fun, but he agreed with Cissnei that at least it would be better than just staring in silence at nothing.

Cloud got up and approached Aerith. "You're not going to tell me what's happening, right?"

"Cissnei couldn't fool you, huh?" She asked with a raised eyebrow and a slight smile. "Anyway, I'm not going to ruin the surprise now that you're almost there."

Cloud's brows furrowed but he didn't say anything more. Instead, he just made his way to the entrance.

The theater was mostly empty except for the first few rows of seats, which were occupied by kids and their parents watching the play on the stage. Cloud looked around and spotted Cissnei in one of the back rows, watching the play with her arms crossed. Yuffie and Vincent were there too, side by side and 'too occupied' to pay any attention to the dramatic moment of the play, when the Evil Dragon King made his appearance.

"I am the Evil Dragon King... Valvados! I have not harmed the Princess... I have been expecting...you!"

Cloud watched as the actor of the villain left the 'princess' on the floor. "Please help me... Legendary Hero!" The 'princess' turned around and said something to the dragon, but the blond was too far away to hear it.

Deciding that it was decently interesting, Cloud leaned back against the wall, continuing to watch the play while he waited for Tifa and Zack and for someone to tell him the reason for so much secrecy.

When he looked to the stage again, the 'legendary hero' seemed to be facing an important choice.

The actor took a few steps forward until he was in front of the dragon. _'A fighting scene?'_ Cloud guessed. _'How typical...'_ He rolled his eyes. He was already guessing what would happen when suddenly, the hero kneeled in front of the dragon, taking his paw in his hand, and kissed it.

Cloud's eyes widened in surprise, but widened even more when the supposed _male_ actor performing as the Evil Dragon King took off his costume and turned out to be a beautiful _female_.

"Well, that was unexpected." Cloud looked to his left and saw Zack watching the play while leaning against the same wall as him. "I can't believe that girl was able to carry the princess in her arms without any problem. I'm surprised amateur actors were able to make the play _that_ funny." Zack commented before leaning away from the wall. "Well, now we just have to wait for the kids to get out and the place will be ours for two hours." Upon his friend's clueless expression, Zack decided to elaborate a bit. "We rented this place for two hours, until the next play. The only condition is to leave everything as it is now when we finish."

"Yeah, but why?" Cloud asked. "And it must have been hard to convince the owner to rent you this place."

"Not too much. This Square is empty most of the time, and we promised to clean up before we leave. Besides, when the owner saw that Yuffie Kisaragi was with us, he wasn't too hard to convince. I think that girl is more important than we think." They looked at her, she was now talking excitedly with Vincent about something. "Oh, and about the why, you'll know in a few minutes."

The curtains closed and the kids and their parents started to exit the theater.

"Well, that's my cue to leave." Zack said before starting to walk away. "You should sit in the front rows. I'm sure you don't want to miss what's going to happen when the curtains open again."

Cloud stared at Zack's retreating back before shrugging and followed his friend's advice. He walked to the first row and sat, leaning back on the seat.

After a few minutes of waiting, he looked behind him. Yuffie and Vincent were gone, along with Cissnei. He looked around and after seeing no one else in the audience, Cloud realised that he was the sole spectator.

Just when he was about to get up, the curtain moved a bit. He stared at it, silently daring it to move again, but instead of movement, he heard Yuffie's voice.

"Ouch!" She appeared through the curtains. They stared at each other in silence for a second before she crawled back under the curtains and out of sight again. "Nah, don't worry. I don't think he saw anything." Her voice rang through the room.

Cloud leaned back in his seat again, closing his eyes. Even if it was on the other side of a curtain, at least he now knew where his friends were.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 72

Lady: "**Disclaimer: LTS doesn't own anything.**"

Dante: "Read and review, dude."

LTS: "And thanks for reading."

Lady: "You'll stay here? I think Trish wanted to talk with you."

LTS: *backing away* "Uhh... I think I'll go to another world... bye..." *disappears*

Lady: "She doesn't like Trish, does she?"

Dante: "She just doesn't like the way Trish is with her."

CIH! 27/07/2010 LTS: "I just don't like the motherly type too much... and I don't know why, but Trish acts that way towards me. And towards Dante, of course."


	73. Serenity

**A/N**: Chap 73. Please, if you can, read this while listening "Tifa's theme" in piano to understand better the feeling, but only if you REALLY like that song. If you don't, then you can use any piano song you like. And if you don't like piano in general... well, then I hope I did a good job describing... And on a side note, I loooooved writing this chapter!

Leon: "What are you doing here? You ran away again?"

LTS: "Nope. I'm just on vacation, going from world to world."

Leon: "... Why, here."

LTS: "Well, I just wanted to thank you for the last time. You were really nice."

Leon: "Whatever."

LTS: "Oww... look little old Squall! You're blushing!"

Leon: *glare while blushing* "What did you call me?"

LTS: "My lips are sealed. **Disclaimer: I don't own anything.**"

* * *

**Title**: Serenity.

..

Five minutes later, the curtain moved again. This time it opened a bit and Aerith appeared on stage. She took a few steps forward and laced her hands behind her back.

"We're sorry for the wait." She said with a small smile. "We had some problems but soon everything will be ready." Cloud stared at her, still not knowing what she was talking about. "Don't worry, you'll understand soon." Aerith told him with a soft laugh. The feeling of being under the spotlight on a stage made her giggle with nervousness. "It really feels strange to talk with you from up here."

Suddenly, they heard a sound from behind the girl. Aerith turned around and Zack's head poked from between the curtains. "She's ready." At Aerith's nod, they exited the stage.

After a moment of complete silence, the lights turned off and the curtains opened. The stage was so dark that Cloud couldn't see anything. Then, a single spotlight turned on.

Surrounded by the white light, a wooden piano stood in the center of the medieval scenery. But what called his attention was the person who was in front of it. Tifa was seated on the piano bench, wearing an immaculate white dress similar to the one the 'princess' of the kids play was wearing before.

By the blush on Tifa's cheeks, and the way she seemed to not be able to look at him, he could guess that the dress was Aerith's idea and that she had been thrown into this just as Cissnei had.

Cloud observed how Tifa bowed her head, seemly taking deep breaths. Her eyes closed and her hands moved to the piano keys. Then, her head raised a bit and with her eyes still closed, her fingers started to move.

A beautiful, calming melody sounded from the piano, mesmerizing him. Cloud stood there, unable to move, almost forgetting to breathe, while listening to Tifa's performance while letting the sweet sound surround him.

The unique song awoke some memories in Cloud's mind.

He remembered the first time he saw Tifa in class. How her long hair had seemed so beautiful to him, even if it wasn't particularly special. How her red eyes were so bright and warm, in contrast to those times when they were glassy and cold.

How she stood in front of the blackboard when Angeal asked her to introduce herself to the class, while the majority of them were looking at her with loathing and disgust in their eyes. How her voice had been so insecure and fragile while she was in front of the class, _"I'm Tifa Lockhart, I was born here in Nibelheim and my hobby is playing the piano..."_ but instead so strong when she was talking with him and her brother a few minutes later. _"Zack, right now the whole school hates me. I can't let them hate you too!" _

He remembered her expression of complete bewilderment when she saw the state her brother and himself had left the kitchen when she woke up on her birthday. How they tried to explain to her what had happened, and how she had simply laughed and embraced them.

How when they were kids, she always smiled at him in _that_ way.

Thousands of memories flooded Cloud's mind while Tifa played. A small smile on both of their faces. When the song neared the end and the notes started to crescendo, more lights turned on and a big banner with the words 'Happy Birthday, Cloud' was written on it in simple black and white lettering. The banner hung from the top of the stage.

He could perfectly picture Yuffie and Cissnei trying to hang the banner while Aerith gave them instructions, how Vincent and Zack moved the piano from the far corner to the center of the stage, and how much Tifa must have practiced the song and tried to control her nerves while pacing around, all that, while being silent so he wouldn't hear anything. And Cloud couldn't help but smile wider.

Cloud got up, unable to stay still because of the flood of emotion he felt, and climbed the stairs to the stage. Tifa, who was too immersed in the song to notice Cloud's movement, continued to play while he approached her from behind.

He kneeled on the floor behind her, and the song suddenly stopped when she felt his arms around her waist, embracing her from behind, and his forehead against her back.

When the sound of the last notes died down, Cloud embraced her a bit tighter. "... Thank you." He whispered, as if not wanting to disturb the peaceful silence. His voice sounded a bit broken and Tifa put her hands on top of his, embracing him equally tight to her and not saying anything.

It had been Zack's idea. He was the only one who knew something about Cloud's past, and Zack suspected that Cloud hadn't had much of a birthday party since his parents died, and that was when he was four years old. So he had talked with Tifa about doing something special for his birthday when she told him it was that day.

When they mentioned it to the rest of their friends while they had breakfast -Tifa and Zack silently thanked that Cloud was such a heavy sleeper- everyone had agreed to help.

Tifa smiled widely and closed her eyes, enjoying the moment. When she felt his embrace loosen, she turned her head around. Cloud was about to open his mouth to say something when she beat him to do it. "It was Aerith's idea."

He chuckled. "You really look like a princess."

She blushed and turned her eyes to the piano again, one hand on the keys, feeling the cool ivory under her fingertips, and the other still embracing him to her. "I've missed the piano." She pressed one of the keys and let the sound linger throughout the large auditorium until it eventually faded away. "Mr. Fair taught me how to play. It started as a way to get me to open up a bit and be able to approach him, but as the time passed, I started to really love it."

Cloud nodded against her back. "I think we should have one at home."

Tifa stiffened, causing her to press her hand against the keys, making a loud and startling sound. "Sorry." She raised her hand away from the keys and rested it on her lap.

He reared back a bit. "Is something wrong?"

She shook her head, making her hair sway a bit and he couldn't help but stare at it until she spoke. "You're eighteen now." He waited, giving her time to explain herself. "You said... home..."

Understanding what she meant, he explained. "I don't have any desire to go anywhere else." He nuzzled her back before resting his cheek against her. The action was both daring and sweet. "I told you I would stay by your side, and as long as Zack's parents, himself, and you want me to, I'll stay with you both. My home is now with you, Teef."

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 73

LTS: "I brought you a present, to thank you for the last time and as an apology for having you here instead of letting you be with the others."

Leon: "I was the one who chose to stay here. Someone has to take care of the heartless in Radiant Garden."

LTS: "Still, I thought it would be hard for you to be here all alone, since Aerith and Yuffie are away. Cid is here, but I doubt he's very good company for you. And your friends are still in your original world."

Leon: "I never had a problem being alone."

LTS: "_Still_, I don't think it's fair. So here is my present." *Rinoa pops out of nowhere and LTS goes away*

CIH! 27/07/2010 LTS: "Yay for canon pairings! I don't like Rinoa too much, but if she can make Squall happy... welcome to my crazy mind, girl!"


	74. Fireworks

**A/N**: Chap 74

Cloud/Zack/Tifa: *glare at LTS* "..."

LTS: "..."

Cloud/Zack/Tifa: *keeps glaring at LTS* "..."

LTS: "Okay, okay... I'm sorry. I know I should have kept writing even if I didn't have internet, but-"

Cloud: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.**"

Tifa: "At least it seems like you're back now."

Zack: "Let's hope it's not for only this chapter..."

LTS: "... Let's hope not..."

* * *

**Title**: Fireworks

..

When Cloud stopped talking, he heard footsteps and Zack appeared behind him. "Do you two need more time?" He asked with a teasing tone.

Tifa shook her head. "It's fine, Zack." She got up, reluctantly disentangling Cloud's arms from her waist. "Besides, this is just the start of the party." She smiled at the blond and went away to change, leaving the two friends alone.

"I guess I don't need to ask if you liked it." The taller boy stated. "After seeing the way you were embracing her, I can say that Aerith's idea worked pretty well."

"It was Aerith's idea?" Cloud asked.

"The dress thing, at least. The song was Tifa's, but the idea of playing something was mine. I knew you would like something made by her."

..

Tifa leaned back on the bench. The air coming through the window caressed her hair gently and she captured one of her swaying tresses with her hand and replaced it behind her ear. The night sky was dark and beautiful, and the pale full moon cast lights and shadows on her skin, making her glow in the corner of the gondola.

How had she ended there? Zack's doing, anyone would have answered.

As it turned, this time it was Cloud's fault.

After the party for Cloud's birthday all of them had decided to go to sleep before Zack approached Cloud and talked with him about something. The next thing she knew was that she was appointed to a ride on the gondola with the blond because some bet about her swimsuit some months ago.

She was actually enjoying it. The view from the window was gorgeous, and the company... She turned her head and looked at the other occupant. He was looking through the window on the other side of the small space, his hands in front of him, resting on his lap and seemingly fidgeting. His eyes often turned to glance at her, but when he realised she was looking at him too, he would quickly divert his eyes towards the window again.

"I really don't know how to do this."

Cloud's sudden comment made her forget about the view outside her window once again. If someone asked her what she saw during the ride, she knew she would answer, 'Cloud'. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she directed her attention to his words. "This?"

"Dating." Tifa's cheeks reddened while he just stared ahead. "I've never dated anyone, and I've never wanted to. I want to spend time with you, let you see for yourself-" He stopped suddenly and sighed. "I'm not like Zack." He rubbed one of his hands over his face, emotionally and physically tired after such a long day. "I'm not 'the ladies man'. I don't know how to be flirty, I don't know _how_ to flirt. I've never..." He let out a frustrated sigh and Tifa chuckled.

Seeing Cloud's tired expression, she covered her amused smile with her hand and tried to explain herself. "Sorry, I'm not laughing at you... it's just..." She took a deep breath to calm down and tried again. "It was... a bit creepy. Suddenly you were acting like any other guy would do, and while Zack seemed to approve, it was just not you."

He had to admit, the first day when they arrived at Costa del Sol, he was really nervous. And it felt strange and nice at the same time to be so close to her, but most of all, it felt wrong. It was something he wasn't used to feeling when close to Tifa.

"I guess... no one should force a relationship." At least that's what her time with Sephiroth taught her.

Silence fell upon them and Tifa turned her eyes to the window again. She started to think about all the things that had happened up until that point. She had missed him.

She had missed the shy little boy who would tell her with a soft blush that her eyes were pretty. The same little boy who would promise her the moon and get it for her if that was what would make her smile.

The same little boy who now was still trying so hard to make her happy.

"_You haven't changed at all."_ She thought, and smiled to herself when she turned her eyes to him. Cloud appeared to have fallen asleep while looking through the window, and now his head was resting against the wall on his right.

Looking at his peaceful expression, the smile vanished from her face.

Fireworks lit up the sky outside, but even with all that noise, Cloud kept on sleeping, oblivious to the display of color and sound just outside the window.

"You are stubborn." Tifa said to no one. "And you never give up when you have your mind set on something." She raised her hand towards him, she herself inching closer and closer to Cloud.

He could feel her body heat getting closer and closer until she was actually touching him. She was doing it on her own, and he wasn't going to stop her. Anything she did at that moment, she did it because she really wanted to. So he stood as still as possible and tried to fake sleep the best he could.

"Just..." Tifa caressed one of the spikes of the blue-eyed boy and smiled again. "Just keep being you."

She inched even closer, he could feel some of the loose strands of her hair tickling his face, letting him know they were face to face.

A loud noise came from outside, signaling the climax of the fireworks show and the gondola stopped, reaching the station. Tifa was shaken out of her daze and reared back with a jolt, realising how close she had been to the blond. Once the doors opened, she dashed out and to the hotel, not believing how she had let her emotions dominate her like that.

She had promised she would stay away from him as much as possible, and still, she was about to...

No. She decided. She stopped in time. She was just touching him, nothing more.

In the cabin, Cloud opened his eyes and inwardly cursed the fireworks and the short ride.

"_It was so close..." _They thought as they returned to their respective rooms in the hotel.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 74

LTS: "So... what happened there? By the way, I think this chapter ended up being a bit too cliche, but I needed Tifa to make some move..."

Tifa: "I think you should stop taunting the readers before they get mad."

LTS: "I know, I know... but this story isn't made of only romance..."

Zack: "R&R and thanks for reading..."

LTS: "Hey, Zack... I'm trying to write, I swear!"

CIH! 23/09/2010


	75. Adieu

**A/N**: Chap 75.

LTS: *reads post it* "Hug for... what?"

Cloud: "Something wrong?"

LTS: "I got a request for a hug... but this time it isn't for any of you."

Zack: "Seriously? ... I think I just heard Vincent's cry of joy."

LTS: "Ummm... I guess a request is a request..."

Pheace: "**Disclaimer: Suteki doesn't own anything.**" *hugs LTS*

LTS: "You didn't need to ask for it, you know?" *hugs Pheace back*

* * *

**Title**: Adieu.

..

The summer break reached its end, and with it, Vincent and Yuffie's time in Nibelheim.

"You have everything ready?" Mrs. Valentine asked her son while he continued checking the suitcase and the travel bag. "Wutai is very different from Nibelheim... are you sure you're going to be okay? You don't have to leave..."

"I know I don't have to leave. But it's what I want to do." Vincent replied without as much as a glance at his mother. He zipped up the last of his luggage and stood up.

Lucrecia reached towards him and took his hand in hers. She wanted to apologize, to tell him she was sorry for trying to force him to do something he didn't want to do, for not being there as a parent should, for betraying his trust, and for trying to use his friends. She wanted to tell him everything that she should have said a long time ago. She didn't though. "We'll miss you." She said, as she squeezed his hand in reassurance before she let go.

And that was the last thing Vincent ever heard from his parents.

Grimoire stood outside of the room, a sad smile on his face, matching his wife's. They were proud of their son. He had chosen his own way to live, and even if it wasn't the way they wanted, it was what would make him happy.

The older man heard Vincent approach the door and took a step out of the way, letting his son go. A nod of approval from each of the Valentines, and Vincent was out of the house, leaving his mother crying in his father's arms in what had been his room up until that moment.

His eyes on the path before him, his mind in the past, and his bag over his shoulder, Vincent kept walking forward. He took a deep breath, feeling free, and never looked back.

A lone figure waited for him.

..

Yuffie looked at her now empty room and frowned. The now naked walls still wore the proof she had been there in the form of clear rectangles were her posters had been and childish drawings hidden behind the now non-existent furniture, where her father couldn't see them.

She kept looking around, thinking how she almost didn't recognise her own bedroom without her normal mess. There weren't any clothes or papers on the floor, nothing; just an empty room.

As she kept looking, one of the drawings captured her attention. It was a pink flower. Yuffie instantly knew she wasn't the one who drew it and she smiled at the name that came to mind.

Her mind turned back in time, remembering those nights were she and Aerith tried to keep their girlish giggles away from her father's ears, still playing past their bedtime, even if they had pinky-promised they would be good girls.

"It took a long time to get rid of all the feathers after one of those nights." Yuffie said aloud, half chuckling and wanting to cry at the same time.

"There were still some under the bed." Her father said from behind her. "You and your friend destroyed more pillows than I care to remember." Godo straightened his beard with one hand while laughing.

"Why didn't you stop us? I'm sure you were awake." Yuffie asked while looking at the pink flower.

He thought for a moment, remembering the heart-felt laugh coming from the room just besides his and the next day, when he found them both sleeping together on the floor, covered by feathers and happily exhausted. "Kids deserve moments like that." He stated while ruffling his daughter's hair.

..

Letting go of the bag and the suitcase, Vincent put an arm around Yuffie's shoulders, letting her rest against him while she looked at what had been her house for as long as she could remember. She turned towards him, burying her face in his chest.

"Are you ready?" He asked, looking straight ahead, and she nodded against him. "Have you talked with her yet?" This time, she shook her head.

She and Aerith had already said their goodbyes. If they saw each other now, they would spend the whole time crying instead of having that last happy memory together.

Vincent nodded, understanding Yuffie's train of thought. "I still have a place to visit before we leave."

Yuffie raised her head, finally looking at him, and her eyes widened at the change she saw. She raised one of her hands, touching the now much shorter strands of his hair. "Your..." He was still looking ahead, his eyes determined, set on something she couldn't see, and the short girl nodded. "I'll be waiting here."

They let go of each other and Vincent carried his luggage to Mr Kisaragi's car before making his way to the center of the town.

..

Resting his back against one of the trees, Vincent turned his eyes to the grass and the patch of flowers there before making a silent prayer.

"This is a goodbye. I won't forget you, though." The black-haired boy opened his jacket and took the keepsake of his hair. "This is a new start. A new beginning." He left the memento between the flowers and stepped back, his gaze set on the sky. "Take care of them for me, Blue."

Two pairs of footsteps approached. Vincent could tell that one was much heavier than the other as he turned his attention to the newcomers.

"The last goodbye, huh?" Zack said while approaching Vincent with his hands behind his head.

"He loved to play with your hair. He used to bite mine if you didn't let him play with yours." Tifa chuckled at the memory while tending the flowers by the long deceased dog's grave to the best of her ability. "I'm sure he loves the gift." She assured Vincent with a smile.

"We'll take care of this place for you." Zack promised. "It's the least we can do."

Vincent nodded his thanks before going back to where Yuffie was waiting for him.

No more goodbyes were needed.

Their new life awaited them.

And it was a bright one.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 75

LTS: "I hope this chapter wasn't too depressing."

Kou: "You got rid of them because they are hard for you to write, right?"

LTS: "Uhhh... it's for the sake of the plot..."

Kou: *stares at LTS* "... But...?"

LTS: "... But yeah, they are really hard to write. Yuffie ended up being all depressed instead of hyper. But that was because of the plot..."

Kou: "Do I detect some OOC?"

Pheace: *locks Kou in the VR room* "Don't like it, don't read it."

LTS: "**Disclaimer: I don't own anything**, R&R, and thanks for reading."

CIH! 24/09/2010

(note: My laptop died, so I can't write more for now. My boyfriend is helping me so I can post the chapters I have ready, so chap 77 will be the last one for now. I can't reply reviews, but I can read them from my psp, and thanks for them. Even if I can't reply them I still appreciate them. So see you all in chap 78)


	76. Falling apart

**A/N**: Chap 76. (A/Ns made mostly by oodball. Thanks!)

Zack: "Can I?"

LTS: "Why do you want to have a pet so bad?"

Zack: "Because it'll be so fun!"

LTS: *sighs* "Alright, I guess since Aerith already has one, you can have a pet too."

Zack: "Cool!" *starts to run away*

LTS: "On one condition! It can't be pink, okay? I have more than enough of that with a pink dog."

Zack: "Don't worry, the only pink I like is when my angel wears it. **Disclaimer: LTS doesn't owns anything**, except Pheace."

* * *

**Title**: Falling apart.

..

Tifa turned around once again and tried to fall asleep. The new school year would start in a few hours and she still hadn't gotten any sleep.

The next day after the Gondola incident, they had gone back to Costa del Sol to spend the last week there before going to Gongaga. Zack's birthday was just a week and a day after Cloud's and that gave them the opportunity to be all together for the black-haired boy's birthday too.

After a rather interesting conversation between Mrs. Fair and Aerith which made the younger girl blush, and a comment from Mr. Fair, it seemed Aerith and Zack had the latter's parents blessing, even if Aerith hurried to explain they were only friends.

Going back home, and after Vincent and Yuffie's departure, Tifa, Cloud, and Zack were once again returning to their routines, and wondering what to do with Angeal's now empty room.

Zack proposed to make it a gaming room, which Tifa discarded since it would make her brother spend the rest of his life there. As Cloud and Tifa suggested, they left the room mostly as it was. Just a few changes and it became a guest's room, which Aerith appreciated.

Since Yuffie had gone to Wutai, Aerith started to spend more and more time at Tifa's house, and now that she had a room for herself, it became her second home.

Tired of tossing around in the bed, Tifa got up and stumbled her way down the stairs and to the kitchen in her half-asleep state, deciding that a warm drink could do the trick and relax her enough to help her finally get the rest she needed.

As she finished her mug of hot cocoa and prepared herself to return to her room, the kitchen door opened and a very sleepy Cloud entered the kitchen, his cellphone by his ear, and seemingly waiting for someone to answer his call.

They locked eyes for a moment before Cloud started to move again and started to prepare himself a cup of coffee. "My cousin called a few minutes ago and left me a message asking me to call him back once I woke up."

Tifa nodded and took the cup from him, preparing the coffee herself before he made a mess. He had already made a big enough one when he was fully awake, she didn't wanted to know what he would do while being half-asleep.

Not having the energy to try to convince her that he could do it himself, he slumped onto the nearest chair and kept waiting for someone to pick up.

"Did something happen?" Tifa finally asked while sitting on the chair in front of the blond, setting a warm cup of black coffee in front of him and keeping another for herself, giving up on sleep for the night.

He took a long gulp from the bitter drink and leaned back on the chair, his phone still by his ear. "I don't know. He just said to call him as soon as possible." Giving up, Cloud ended the call and left the phone on the table. "It's been more than six months since my family tried to contact me, so it must be important."

As silence fell upon them, Cloud noticed the cup in Tifa's hands and the bags under her eyes, and feeling his frowning gaze upon her, Tifa waved a hand in dismissal. "I was too nervous to sleep, so I just gave up on sleeping. It's okay, I don't have to work today, so I'll go to bed earlier to catch up on sleep."

Blue eyes kept glancing at her red ones, alternating between the eyes and the phone until the black device's screen lit up. Opening the lid, Cloud made sure it was the call he was waiting for and answered.

Tifa got up and exited the room, giving Cloud some privacy even if he hadn't asked for it. She went back upstairs and prepared herself for the long day ahead.

Looking through the window of her room, the orange, almost red light from the morning sun lit up the sky and her bedroom. She touched the cold glass, pressing her palm flush against it. She had missed her home. Of course Costa del Sol was gorgeous, and this house still weighed her down with dark memories, but now there was a lot of good ones too.

Maybe Cloud felt the same way about this place.

He wasn't on good terms with his family, and he didn't want to go back to them, but by the way he had been checking his phone every five seconds proved that he was worried, despite how much he says he hates them.

Maybe his family was at least a little bit important to him, even if he probably would never admit it.

In the kitchen, as Cloud closed the lid of his phone, his eyes burned. Anger and sadness boiled inside of him, mixed with an overwhelming feeling of helplessness.

As he considered his options, he made his way to his room, preparing himself for the long day ahead.

He had to talk with Zack. And soon.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 76. And here it comes... beware... The start of Cloud's story! (this chapter has been a bit of a pain... I need to clear up my mind a bit about what I want to do from here XD)

Aerith: "Lady, there is no need to be that angry..."

LTS: "No need to be that angry! If I get Zack I swear I'm gonna... urg! The smell is still around..."

Tifa: "The smell will go away soon, and it wasn't that-"

LTS: "That was a damn Malboro! When I said a pet, I meant a dog, cat, bird... hell, even a snake! But no, Zack had to choose a freaking Malboro!" *storms out*

Aerith: "I told you a chocobo was a better idea..."

Zack: *crawls out from his hiding place* "Yeah... Read & Review, thanks for reading and all that..." *gulps* "... Lady is scary..."

CIH! 25/09/2010 By the way, I'm thinking about re-doing the first chapters... and of making a separate series with the skipped parts. It would be just some one-shots about the "filler" parts I skipped, like the first day at the Gold Saucer, so if anyone has any request about that, or thinks any of this is a good idea (or not), please, PM me or tell me in the review :)


	77. Beginnings, Again

**A/N**: Chap 77.

LTS: "It seems it was yesterday when I started this story..."

Cloud: "It's been more than six months."

LTS: "I know, just like in the timeline. Isn't that just a marvelous coincidence?"

Zack: "No, it means you've been slacking and not writing fast enough."

LTS: "... Leave me alone."

Tifa: "**Disclaimer: LadyTeefStrife doesn't own anything.** It's alright, 77 chapters in six months is a good thing."

LTS: "Thanks Teef..."

* * *

**Title**: Beginnings, again.

..

Before she could turn around, the window Tifa had been staring out of suddenly opened, startling the girl. As her eyes widened by the unexpected movement, she felt someone yank her by her arm and pull her up and out of the window. Before she realised what was happening, she was on her knees on the roof of her own house.

Staying on her four limbs to keep her balance, Tifa looked around in a panic, wondering what had just happened. Not seeing anything as she clutched her roof tightly, she relaxed her grip and leaned back into a sitting position so she could get a better view of her roof. She kept glancing around until she spotted long, blond hair.

..

As Sephiroth took off the last piece of his uniform, he asked himself again why he had agreed to go to the same private college as Loz and Yazoo. They kept idolizing him, making his student life all the more difficult. He just wanted to get over with his studies, find a job he could tolerate and would let him live a simple life. He didn't need a mass of people calling his name behind him.

The silver haired man looked through the window of his bathroom. Midgar was everything he expected. Grey, depressing, and he was just getting used to the heavily polluted air of the city after two months of living there already.

With a sigh, he stepped in the shower, hoping the water and his special shampoo could get rid of the almost toxic smell in his hair.

..

As he knocked on his friend's bedroom door, Cloud prayed for all that was holy that the expected punch wouldn't be too hard. But as the door finally opened and the blond finished explaining himself to a very sleepy Zack, he just hoped that at least the dark-haired boy wouldn't hate him for the rest of his life.

After a lot of Zack's yelling later, Cloud slid down the wall of the corridor, sitting on the floor and asked with a pleading tone. "... What can I do?" Zack's eyes widened and turned to the blond.

They sat in silence until Zack slid to the floor too, resting his head against the wall behind him. "If you want to do the right thing… you should tell Tifa as soon as possible." He could just imagine how Tifa would dismiss it, say that she's fine, smile and make everyone believe everything was okay before going to her room to cry herself to sleep. "After that... we'll work something out."

..

Preparing themselves to go to sleep in their respective homes, Vincent and Yuffie laid down in their beds, the time difference between Wutai and Nibelheim made them remember that the new school year was about to start for their friends while they still had a few more hours of sleep.

Vincent turned around, his now shorter hair falling in front of his face. The haircut had been useful. His first few days sightseeing and cave exploring had left him much more tired than he would have thought possible, but not having to worry about his hair getting in the way was always useful.

His eyes fell on the large bandana his girlfriend had given him and a smirk appeared on his lips. He wouldn't cut his hair again. After all, now he had something to keep it in place with.

..

In her bed, Yuffie lied facedown, fidgeting with the sheets. She wondered how Aerith was doing. She seemed okay when they last saw each other, and every time they talked on the phone, she seemed happy, but the short girl knew better than that.

..

The green-eyed girl finished fixing her hairstyle and looked at herself in the mirror of her room. She could almost see her hyper friend behind her, jumping around her room, all excited to finally be in her last year of school, the thought made her feel nostalgic.

She missed her. They had been together for as long as she could remember. Yuffie and Aerith, wherever one was, the other always was nearby.

"But... life changes." Aerith said to herself while grabbing her backpack, ready to leave for her first day in her last year as a student in Nibelheim's high school. "And we have to move forward..." She stopped a moment, her eyes falling on a picture of her first day in her first year in that same school. Grabbing it quickly and stuffing it in her bag, she exited her house. "But we shouldn't forget those who are left behind." She said with a bright smile.

..

Loz and Yazoo counted the minutes. Soon the new school year would start in Nibelheim and they wished they could be there to see for themselves what would happen at that moment.

They had been building up this moment since they first saw Tifa.

Knowing Hojo, and who she was, they knew they could accomplish the final part of their beloved uncle's last wish.

"How was it?" Lazard's voice sounded from the speaker of Yazoo's phone, asking how the first day of college was for his sons.

As much as they wanted to see the 'grand finale' by themselves, they had other things to focus on now.

..

Cissnei turned around in her seat. It felt strange to not have her brothers around. Genesis had decided to stay in Nibelheim for this last year and then he would go to Modeoheim to pursue his studies and live there. Reno still had another year ahead until he could leave Nibelheim too. And she...

She had decided to go to Junon.

At first her parents had encouraged her to study in Midgar, or even in Modeoheim so she could keep an eye on her brother the next year. But she wasn't like him. While he enjoyed the knowledge attainable at Modeoheim, she enjoyed the discipline taught at Junon. So after hearing about the university where her father got his piloting and mechanical engineering degrees, she had made up her mind where she wanted to go.

Even if the university wasn't the best, the military area that covered most of the city was perfect for her.

She turned back towards the blackboard where Master Sergeant Tseng and First Sergeant Rude where introducing themselves and the basic concepts they would have to follow.

Cid almost had a heart attack when his only daughter told him she wanted to attend that military academy. Probably, if it wasn't for Shera and how well she understood her daughter, he wouldn't have ever allowed her to go to Junon.

As it was, the old chain-smoker approved her decision, and even introduced her to some of the higher commanders of the nearby base and to some of his old teachers.

Cissnei's eyes glanced to the right, where Second Sergeant Elena was trying to turn on the projector and blinding her superiors with it, the mishap made Cissnei smile.

..

Angeal left his house, still trying to get used to not waking up to Tifa's carefully prepared breakfast and with only a cup of cold coffee in his stomach, as it had been for the last three months since he had left that house.

At least he would see his temporary family back at school, even if it would only be as their teacher now. But in the end, that's how it should be. He was sure Tifa, Zack, and Cloud would take care of themselves.

..

And so, the Nibelheim residents left their houses, ready for their last year in school. As Cloud and Zack took their bikes, driving towards the high school, they failed to notice that Tifa hadn't left the house yet.

In fact, she was still on the roof, facing a long haired blonde in tight clothes.

Tifa looked at the girl's face, a sick feeling in her stomach. Recognition flashing through her eyes as her ears remembered the sound of a bonfire.

* * *

**A/N**: End of chap 77.

LTS: "I'm tired now. This chapter was mentally draining..."

Tifa: "At least it's finished..."

LTS: "Yeah..."

Tifa: "You know you should run now, right?"

LTS: "... Yeah..."

Zack: *runs towards LTS* "You're so not gonna end the chapter there!"

LTS: *gets up and runs away* "Oh, c'mon! Cut me some slack, will you?"

Cloud: "R&R and thanks for reading."

CIH! 29/09/2010 LTS: "By the way, if you had the time or just want to enjoy this chapter better, read the first chapter and then this one again. I was really surprised how much the characters' lives have changed in this time." *whispering* "And chapter 19: Bonfire is still there, if you need to check some of the hints..."


End file.
